


Unlocked

by Evil_Keshi



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Coming Out, Getting Together, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Magic, Modern Royalty, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2018-12-17 06:54:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 93,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11846277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Keshi/pseuds/Evil_Keshi
Summary: "So, Alexander," Magnus said, fully enjoying the lack of etiquette in the way he addressed the Crown Prince, "What can I do for you tonight?""Well... I want... Can you..."The prince stuttered and trailed off, staring at Magnus with wide,frightenedeyes that, to the warlock's utmost horror, filled with tears in a second. He didn't have the time to ask what was wrong though, because the boy took a breath and then blurted out:"Please, can you make me normal?"





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm back with a chaptered story in a modern royalty setting, which I hope you will like! Enjoy your reading :)

  


Magnus finished the spell with a flourish of his hand and a bright smile as he set the nose of a former boxer straight again. The guy let out a high-pitched sound of surprise as he felt the bone move swiftly and find its original spot, then his shaky hands accepted the mirror that the warlock offered him.

"It's... amazing," the man whispered, seemingly mesmerised by his own reflection. "Thank you, Mr. Bane, this is..."

"What you paid for," Magnus reminded him with an easy smirk. "Pleasure to do business with you, Mr. Duran."

The former boxer understood it as the dismissal it was and scrambled to his feet, blurting out his thanks to Magnus one last time before he walked out of the office, followed up close by the warlock himself. He watched his client cross the waiting room and clomp down the stairs, before his eyes settled on the only person still sitting on a chair, waiting for the warlock's invitation to go into his office.

To be honest, Magnus was about to close for the night: it was nearly eight already and he hated working extra hours. But his last client for the evening was a child - and an odd one at that: eyes hidden behind a large pair of sunglasses that probably belonged to an adult, the boy was wearing an oversized sweater with the hood up and concealing most of his face.

It seemed that this kid, whoever he may be, didn't want to be recognised and that was enough to awake Magnus' curiosity. That, and he had a soft spot for kids too, except for those brats who came to the office of the High Warlock - most famous and powerful warlock in the land of Alicante, if he may say so himself - to ask for the toy their parents had denied them.

Magnus was almost certain that this boy hadn't come for a toy, though: the anonymity the kid had obviously strived for meant that whatever this child was going to ask of him was huge - and probably scary.

"Come in, dear boy," Magnus eventually told the kid, holding the door open for him, "Have a seat, make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you," the boy whispered.

Magnus raised a brow as, even inside the office and away from all prying eyes - his magic made sure of that - the kid didn't remove his glasses, nor his hood. The warlock kept his questions to himself though and he sat on his own chair, a comfortable throne of wood and plump cushions of velvet in just the right places - meaning, under his precious butt.

"So, darling," he started, smiling at the young boy who remained so frustratingly a stranger. "I assume you know the rules? Magic comes at a price, you will have to pay in order to obtain what you want from me, whatever this may be, uh... What is you name, dear boy?"

The kid lifted his head, lips parted in obvious surprise, but Magnus was the one to raise a brow when the boy blurted out:

"Do you really need to know my name?"

"Well..." the warlock drawled, a bit confused by such a strong desire of staying anonymous, "I'm sorry but I do. I'll spare you the details but names hold a very, very powerful magic... If you want this to work, you have to give me your name."

The boy let out such a sad, resigned sigh that it nearly broke Magnus' heart. Nearly. To his surprise, the kid didn't answer him: instead, he slowly pushed his hood back, revealing dark messy hair, and then he took off his glasses and bared his face to the warlock.

"Alexander Lightwood," Magnus whispered, taken aback, as he stared into the kid's hazel eyes, "Well, this is... unexpected, I must say. Should I call you Your Highness?"

"N... No," the kid - the prince - mumbled, "Alec is fine."

Magnus, after hundreds of years spent in the realm of Alicante and even more years spent everywhere around the world, could say that not much managed to truly astonish him nowadays. This, though, having the Crown Prince of Alicante, firstborn son of Their Majesties Maryse and Robert Lightwood, sitting in his office and waiting to make a deal with the High Warlock, was not something that he had seen coming. Why was he there? Surely a prince living in a castle, surrounded by servants who would obey to his every whim, provided enough distractions and sources of happiness? What could he possibly want? Did the King and Queen send him to request something? No, such care in concealing his identity must mean that the boy had come of his own will and hoped that nobody would know.

Magnus often worked for King Robert and Queen Maryse, like he had for the Lightwood dynasty for centuries. While he did not often have to curse the Lord of a foreign country anymore, his services were still highly regarded and demanded, whether the Lightwoods intended to push negotiations in their own favour or asked to increase the financial income of the nation. But their son? Surely this had nothing to do with political decisions.

"Your parents..." he slowly said, "They don't know that you are here, do they?"

The boy fidgeted a bit on his seat, eyes carefully kept down as if he expected to be yelled at for leaving the palace of Idris behind his parents' back. Magnus had to remind himself that the prince was only thirteen years old and that, royalty or not, he was just a kid and kids usually got scolded for disobeying or sneaking out.

"No, they don't," Alec answered with a small shake of his head. "Uh, my bodyguard is downstairs, though?"

His last sentence sounded like a question, as if he was asking whether not coming alone somehow made up for leaving the palace unbeknownst to his parents. Well, at least the prince had not been foolish enough to actually wander the City of Idris without anyone to protect him: after all, threats to the royal family were not uncommon and if Alexander had gotten lost and fallen into the wrong hands... This could have been a disaster.

Magnus laughed a little at the boy's question though, a reaction that apparently stirred curiosity in the prince's clear hazel eyes, and the warlock sat a bit straighter, joining his long fingers in front of him.

"So, Alexander," Magnus said, fully enjoying the lack of etiquette in the way he addressed the Crown Prince, "What can I do for you tonight?"

"Well... I want... Can you..."

The prince stuttered and trailed off, staring at Magnus with wide, _frightened_ eyes that, to the warlock's utmost horror, filled with tears in a second. He didn't have the time to ask what was wrong though, because the boy took a breath and then blurted out:

"Please, can you make me normal?"

"Normal?" Magnus repeated, a bit confused as to what exactly entailed the word normal.

"I..." Alexander hesitated, bit his lip, hesitated again, then whispered very quickly, "I think I like boys. But I can't be like that! I have to be normal, I have to like girls or... My parents will be so mad, I can't like boys! Please, Mister Warlock, please, you have to help me!"

Stunned, Magnus didn't know what to say or do at first. He could only think that he had been right: Alexander was here for something huge - something that his magic could do nothing about.

Standing up with the grace of a feline, Magnus walked around his desk and stopped next to Alec, to whom he offered his hand in an invitation to stand as well. The prince looked up, cheeks stained with the marks of salty tears, and gently took the warlock's hand as he rose to his feet. With a snap of his fingers, Magnus opened the door that led to his flat and guided Alec inside, gesturing for him to sit on the huge couch in the middle of his living-room.

"I think we should have a little chat," he said as only explanation when the boy blinked in incomprehension. "Tell me darling, would you like something to drink?"

Alec shyly shook his head but Magnus quickly poured him a glass of orange juice just in case, to which he added a shot of grenadine to make it all a bit more colourful. Once his own cocktail was ready, he sat next to the boy, leaving quite a wide gap between them as to not make the prince too uncomfortable. After all, coming all the way down to his humble lair from the palace while holding onto a secret like this had to be burdening and uncomfortable enough.

"Alexander," he started after taking a sip of his drink, "My magic can't make you normal, because..."

"No!" the prince exclaimed in distress, not even noticing that he had interrupted his host, "Please, Mister Warlock, surely there must be something you can do?"

"First of all, call me Magnus," the warlock said with a small smile. "Not this Mister Warlock bulls... nonsense. Now, listen to me, Alexander: I cannot make you normal, as you say, because there is absolutely _nothing_ wrong with you. Do you understand?"

"But I like _boys_ ," Alec stressed, thinking that maybe the warlock had not properly understood him. "I can't..."

"Why not?" Magnus asked, genuinely curious. "This is a free land, you are free to like whomever you want."

"But I can't!" the prince repeated as fresh tears spilled from his red eyes to crash on his cheeks, "I should like girls and I know I should be able to marry one in the future and I should want to make love to her so that we can have babies and a heir to the throne but I... I don't want to! I never will..."

A short silence settled over the room, only broken by the boy's quiet sniffles as he tried to calm down. Next to him, the warlock struggled to pick up the right words, those that would appease the prince and make him understand just how normal he was. It seemed like Alexander already knew what would be expected of him one day, as the Crown Prince and heir to the throne of Alicante. He was so young though, too young to have his shoulders burdened with this sort of pressure.

"There is more to life than marrying a girl," Magnus finally said, slowly, fighting the urge to reach out and thumb the boy's tears away or squeeze his shoulder in reassurance. "A friend of mine really likes girls, you know? And yet, he doesn't want to... make love to them, as you said. That part doesn't interest him, never has, and that doesn't keep him from falling in love or living his life to the fullest. As for me, I like both men and women. That doesn't mean I'm not a powerful warlock still or that I am not successful in my business..."

Magnus trailed off, glancing at the prince to make sure that he was still listening to him; sure enough, the kid looked positively mesmerised by his words, desperate to hear them all to chase the horrible feeling of _wrong_ eating at him from inside his chest. Tears kept glistening on his pale cheeks.

"So you see, Alexander," Magnus kept going now that he had the prince's full attention, "The fact that you like boys doesn't mean that you can't still be king in the future. It just means that you will have to do things a bit differently."

Alec nodded and averted his eyes, blushing under Magnus' scrutiny; he quickly grabbed his glass of juice on the low table in front of the couch in order to keep his shaky hands busy and he drank in silence, until he whispered:

"My family... They won't stand for it."

The prince looked so sad, so dejected, that the warlock gave in and slid across the couch to wrap one arm around the boy's shoulders, hugging him carefully.

"You are young, Alexander, very young by my own standards," Magnus told him in all blunt honesty, "And you don't have to tell your family anything right now - or ever - if you don't want to or don't feel safe enough to. But you have to remember something: if you seek the acceptance of your family, you have to accept yourself first. Unlock the part of you that still fights it and made you come to me tonight."

Alec remained silent, staring, lost in his thoughts, at the orange juice twirling in his glass. Magnus held his breath, wondering what was going on in the boy's head, blaming the traditions that plagued the royal family and that the King and Queen had already burdened their young son with. The boy was thirteen. He should have been too young to think about his future marriage, too young to barge in a warlock's office asking to be normal.

"I'm glad," Alec eventually mumbled, not daring to look at Magnus in the eyes, "I'm glad I came to you tonight. You... gave me a lot to think about."

His hands still a bit shaky - but less, Magnus noticed in relief - the prince put his glass down on the table and stood up.

"I should go," he said softly, "Raj will wonder if everything's okay."

The bodyguard, Magnus guessed. A chance that the Lightwoods were used to working with the warlock and trusted him, otherwise Magnus imagined that Raj would have had no problem storming in to get the prince back: he had been gone quite a while.

"How much do I owe you?" Alec asked all of a sudden, which made Magnus' eyes widen.

"You owe me nothing," he answered at once. "I did not use my magic. Besides, this, this conversation? It was my pleasure. Now go, before your bodyguard panics at how long you've been here."

Alec's eyes shone with gratitude and awe as Magnus led him back to the waiting room. He was about to go down the stairs and back into the street when the warlock held him back by a light pressure of his fingers on the prince's forearm.

"Alexander, if you ever needed to talk, about _anything_..." Magnus said with a smile, "Know that my door will always be open for you."

The warlock didn't miss the way Alec hastily wiped his eyes as he heard those kind words, and he waved when the boy shyly murmured _goodbye_ and fled the building without turning around.

  


  


Over the next few years, Magnus thought a lot about the Crown Prince. At every appearance of the Lightwoods on national television, every Christmas speech, every time he was summoned at the palace by the King and the Queen to help them out with something, Magnus wondered how the young prince was coping with everything. Had he talked to someone already? Did his parents know and kept it a secret? Or maybe he had confided in his siblings, who gave their big brother the support he deserved?

Magnus prayed for the latter. He, of all people, knew what it felt like to be rejected by his own family and he hoped that whomever Alec had told - if he had - was there for him. Magnus would have been.

But Alexander didn't come back.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far! I would love to know what you think of this so don't hesitate to leave some feedback :) The first chapter is done, I'll just get started on the second one before I publish it so that I can give regular updates, hopefully. Let me know what you think of the story, what you think/hope is going to happen, and until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback on the prologue! You all seem so enthusiastic, I really hope you will enjoy what's coming for our boys! Enjoy :)

  


Alec finished to knot a blue tie around his neck just as his sister entered his dressing room, hair and makeup already done perfectly, her heels clicking on the polished floor with every step she took towards her brother.

"Are you ready?" Izzy asked, approaching the prince to stand beside him in front of the mirror. "You look good, Alec."

"Not as much as you do," he answered truthfully, glancing at her mermaid dress and its deep V-neck.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she said with a laugh, "Come on, the party will start soon."

Which was exactly why Alec was still hiding in his chambers, taking his sweet time to get ready. Unlike Isabelle, this was not his scene: parties always made him uncomfortable, especially official celebrations like the one they were about to attend. He couldn't bear the attention, which, for a future king, was slightly problematic. Oh, taking the lead in negotiations in a meeting or giving a speech in a room full of people didn't pose any problem, thank God for that, but during parties... Well.

It wasn't the same: people would stare at him not to listen to the good ideas that came out of his mouth but to analyse what he was wearing, which colours he had coordinated, how he had styled his hair - and did it mean something that his hair looked a bit less shiny than it had during his last public appearance? Did the prince feel down? Maybe he had lost a bit of weight and oh, perhaps the Crown Prince wasn't doing too well, maybe he was sick, and what if it was an illness that impeded his skills as a sovereign?

Speculations, speculations, and more speculations, fuelled by the journalists who were systematically invited to this kind of official celebrations. According to Queen Maryse, they were here to embrace the lifestyle of the royal family for one short-lived evening of luxury and elegance, then the journalists' reports would make their people dream. But they also made the people gossip and Alec hated it.

He hated that he had to watch every word that he would utter, every single gesture he would make; even merely adjusting his tie could stir reactions: some people might think that he was nervous and really, what was a nervous prince good for? Alec wasn't the only one under the spotlight of course: his siblings had to endure as much as he did. Well, except for Max, who was still a bit too young to attend such ceremonies. But Isabelle and Jace... If Izzy chose to have a lemonade instead of a flute of Champagne, people would immediately assume that she might be pregnant - cue to endless discussions on who the father was and which political alliance would come to life as a consequence. Jace, on his part, was perfectly happy to fuel the crazy rumours about his love life himself, so that his relationship with the Duchess of Fray remained a secret for now.

All in all, his brother didn't suffer much from the piercing eye of the tabloids, while Alec's lack of relationship had started to concern a few people: he was twenty-six, would turn twenty-seven in a few months, and his celibate lifestyle worried some of the King's advisors, who feared that he would neither be married nor a father by the time he succeeded his own father.

Alec forced a little smile on his lips, hoping it would not reflect his gloomy thoughts, as Isabelle and he entered the ballroom through one of the adjacent arches; they joined their family a bit behind the small balcony on top of the marble stairs and under a dome of glass through which they could see the bright stars of this chilly November night.

Underneath the balcony, a flurry of journalists was already busy taking pictures after pictures of the room and its delicate ornaments, golden chandeliers and intricate parquetry under their feet, as well as photographs of the nobility already present. Among the duchesses, viscounts, marquises and countesses, this fine gathering also included the Council advisors, foreign representatives on a diplomatic mission, ministers, every man and woman who had an ounce of importance in the realm, as well as the musicians of the orchestra that would be playing all night long.

"Finally!" Jace exclaimed as he saw his siblings, "I thought you were going to bail on us..."

"Of course not, now why would I do that?" Alec deadpanned, earning himself a jab in the ribs from his sister.

"Behave," Izzy scolded him, although she didn't sound as much exasperated as she did fond.

Alec couldn't reply, for his mother suddenly grabbed his arm and pushed him to his father's right.

"There, perfect," she muttered between her teeth, "You stay there and... Isabelle, at your brother's side and Jace, with me."

The three of them nodded, although they didn't exactly need the reminder: they had known for a long time exactly where to place themselves when the whole family was to make an appearance, either for an official event like the Royal Christmas Speech or a slightly less formal gathering like this one. Alec, as the Crown Prince, always stood at the King's right to show clearly that he would be the next man on the throne of Alicante. Izzy used to stand on their mother's side, on Robert's left, but when Jace, the son of their father's most trusted and recently deceased advisor, had joined the royal family as their adoptive sibling, the princess had moved to stand with her brother. Jace didn't mind that he was on his own at their mother's left, which showed that he wasn't really expected to be involved in the King's succession in any way. Even if something were to happen to Alec and Izzy, Max would still be first in line as Robert's successor.

Jace didn't care about any of that: until his tenth birthday, the boy had been raised as nothing more than the son of the King's close friend and he had never wanted (still didn't want) to be king. For a long time, Alec had been uncomfortable with the place his brother had been attributed, feeling like this was a way to tell that he was nothing of importance in the family. Jace had always said not to worry though, that he knew Robert and Maryse loved him and had not just taken him in out of pity. He was not jealous of Alec's situation either, aware that his brother was the one suited to be King, the one the crown would fit better than anyone.

"All right, everyone," Maryse said, shushing Jace and Isabelle who were bickering together on either side of Robert, who was actually cheering them on, "Smile, enjoy your evening and _don't_ do anything inappropriate."

That last comment was meant for Izzy, who shrugged and smiled innocently, pretending that she had not understood her mother's reference to the last party she had partaken in, when she and a representative of a neighbouring land had nearly been caught in a compromising situation. Alec didn't know where Izzy and Meliorn stood by now but they were clearly fond of each other and really, their parents should not worry so much about it: if these two decided to turn their relationship into something official, surely the potential alliances that would result of it could convince the King and the Queen...

Alec's trail of thoughts shattered when Isabelle gave him a little push forward, her hand discreetly resting on his lower back: distracted, he had almost missed his family's entrance on the balcony. As soon as they appeared to the eyes of the crowd, the orchestra started to play the national anthem of Alicante, while the photographers went crazy as they took endless snaps of the royal family.

Alec looked straight ahead, smile still vaguely in place as he avoided the blinding flashes of the cameras - which reminded him that he needed to teach this technique to Max soon, so that he would be prepared for his first official appearance and not end up lightheaded and half-blind like Alec had been himself. Years of practice had made him perfect at this and yet, he was relieved when the amount of flashes lessened then totally stopped as his father spoke, welcoming everyone to the party, paying extra attention to the foreign representatives, and wished every guest a good and fun evening.

"I request your first dance," Isabelle told him as soon as the King was done, allowing them to come down from the balcony and into the ballroom to mingle and dance with the others.

"Of course," Alec replied with a smile as he bowed and offered his hand to his dance partner.

His sister took it and immediately threw all proper convenances through the window when she actually led the dance while Alec followed, a fact that the journalists would not fail to point out in their articles. The prince already imagined his mother's face at that and snorted - which, so unkingly!

Isabelle went from her brother's arms to Meliorn's when the next waltz started and Alec found himself with Clary, who had just danced with Jace. She greeted him with a smile and a playful curtsy that had the prince rolling his eyes.

"Enjoying your evening, milady?" he asked with barely concealed amusement.

"Not so much the company," the redhead smirked.

"I promise I will try not to step on your feet," Alec shot back, smiling at their usual banter.

To say they had not gotten along very well at first would be an understatement. Alec had been struggling with the nature of his feelings for Jace at the time and seeing this young girl making eyes at his adoptive brother - and him making eyes in return - had taken its toll on him: on the one side, he had been jealous and scared that Jace would prefer this little girl to him; on the other, he had felt the incommensurable relief of Jace maybe finding love in someone other than him, which would have meant that perhaps the Crown Prince had a chance at letting go of his feelings and being normal.

To this day, Jace still didn't know how much his presence and laugh had made Alec suffer and fight with himself when they were younger. All of this was now behind him though and Clary had become a close friend, although they could not help arguing constantly with each other.

The music switched again and Alec stepped back, kissing Clary's hand lightly.

"Go back to my brother before he cries," he whispered with a teasing smile.

She let out a joyous laugh and complied, skipping toward Jace with a haste in her footsteps that only those who knew her well would detect. Alec scoffed at his brother's beaming face and promptly turned away, heading for a new target: Meliorn. Distracting him from Isabelle sounded like a plan, especially since their mother was subtly (but not subtly enough) glaring at them even as she waltzed with her husband. Besides, it was always a good idea to socialise with representatives like Meliorn, who would or would not put in a good word about the royal family to his own Queen. So far, what with his little adventures with Isabelle, it had to be a very good word but it didn't hurt to emphasise it.

Meliorn, as it turned out, was actually a man of few words but each and everyone of them was wisely thought and weighed, so much that he and Alec had a great time speaking in riddles. They were photographed at some point, which none of them minded much as it made great publicity for both of their realms, and several guests joined them, laughing at their little contest, until someone interrupted them with a clear voice that was filled with mirth.

"Well, well, well... It this isn't His Highness the Crown Prince Alexander himself! How lucky am I, truly?"

Alec would have recognised that voice anywhere, in spite of the thirteen long years that had passed since he had heard it for the first and last time in his life. He turned around at once, as if struck by lightning, and he barely noticed Meliorn's and his little audience making itself scarce, glancing with a little apprehension at the newcomer.

Magnus Bane certainly knew how to dress to impress and Alec had to hold back a bark of laughter as he pictured his mother's reaction to the warlock's less than conventional outfit: his mahogany shirt was unbuttoned almost all the way down to his navel, showing more skin than Isabelle's dress, and Alec was willing to bet that the tight pants he was wearing were actually illegal in Alicante. Many necklaces adorned his neck, bouncing and clicking with every steady step he took in Alec's direction.

Alec remembered the warlock's voice and words from thirteen years ago vividly but somehow, he had forgotten what Magnus Bane looked like exactly, a mistake that his eyes made a quick job to set right. From his spiked hair to his black nails, from his dark eye shadow to the rings on his fingers, Alec took it all in one look and suddenly, all air left his lungs. The man standing in front of him and smiling like he knew something that the prince didn't looked all sorts of gorgeous and Alec felt his cheeks burn a little. He couldn't let himself admire the warlock to his heart's content though, not now, not when an insane amount of journalists and photographers were spying on him.

"W... What a s... surprise," Alec stammered, suddenly losing all the eloquence that had characterised his conversation with Meliorn, who had mysteriously disappeared, "Mister B... Bane."

"Did I not tell you to call me Magnus?" the warlock asked with a twinkle in his dark eyes as he lightly swung a glass of red wine in his hand, making the drink slosh dangerously close to the edge.

The question startled Alec, who had thought that maybe he was the only one to remember their conversation: Magnus' words had and still meant a lot to him but how could he know the importance they held for the warlock, who had certainly seen thousands of clients in thirteen years?

"I... Yes, you did," the prince said, trying to recover from both the question and Magnus' presence, "I just didn't think I was still allowed to... It has been a while."

"The blink of an eye to me," Magnus chuckled. "If you call me Mister though, I'm afraid I will have no other choice than to call you by your official title, Your High..."

"Alec is fine," the prince quickly said, interrupting him. "I mean, if you like."

"I actually prefer Alexander, if you don't mind," Magnus replied with a smile.

The young man nodded, although no one usually called him Alexander. _Your Highness_ , yes, even _Prince Alexander_ , but mostly he was Alec - to his siblings, his parents and friends like Clary. It had been a long, long time since someone last called him Alexander, so long that he could not remember when it had happened.

"Pardon my surprise," Alec started, trying to rekindle the conversation, "I didn't expect to see you. I didn't know that you were coming..."

The prince usually made a point to consult the guest list before these kinds of gatherings so that he knew exactly who would be there - and whom he should avoid, snake-like politicians or especially tedious reporters. He had not seen Magnus' name in the register that afternoon, hence his surprise, but the warlock enlightened him:

"Last minute decision," he explained, his smooth and rich voice lilting with amusement. "As well as last minute invitation, I barely had the time to change."

Alec did a double take, eyebrows rising at Magnus' words. Well... If this was what the warlock looked like when he was in a hurry, the prince didn't dare imagine what he would wear if he actually took the time to dress up. Probably an outfit that would make him hot enough to kill Alec on the spot.

"To tell you the truth, Alexander," Magnus added after a beat, distracting the prince from his dangerous thoughts, "I'm here on business. Your parents requested my presence so that we could have a little conversation after this party. They didn't tell you?"

"No," Alec answered, shaking his head. "They don't usually keep me in the loop when they need your services. I know they do call you, quite often apparently, but they never told me exactly what you did for them. Tonight was no exception."

Magnus looked a bit upset at that, on grounds that Alec quickly understood with the warlock's next words:

"I thought they would have... They called me for one reason only: you, Alexander."

"M... Me?" the prince stammered, flustered under Magnus' intense gaze but also feeling the cold grip of fear around his heart.

What could his parents possibly have to discuss with the High Warlock that involved him? Surely this couldn't be... No, of course not, they had no mean of knowing that he had visited Magnus all those years ago: he trusted Raj with his life and his bodyguard would never have told anyone... But what about Magnus himself? It was probably ridiculous to think that the warlock would have betrayed his secret, as his behaviour and words that night had awoken a deep sense of trust for Magnus within himself. For a short moment, the warlock had been a friend and in spite of the years, Alec could tell that Magnus still meant his parting words: his door would always remain open for the prince. The warlock could never have revealed the secret of a thirteen-year-old child.

A gentle but firm hand on his shoulder startled the prince out of his thoughts and he locked eyes with Magnus, who whispered:

"Journalists are staring."

Alec's demeanour immediately changed: throwing his previous thoughts to a corner of his mind, he forced a laugh out of his throat, as if Magnus had just told him a good joke, and his face relaxed into a blank mask that would hide the apprehension still running in his veins. A few flashes later, the photographers had moved on to other targets and Alec finally could breathe again.

"Thank you," he whispered to Magnus, whose hand was still anchoring him.

"Any time," the warlock answered with a smile.

After a few more seconds during which Magnus stared at the prince in concern, he removed his hand from the young man's shoulder and Alec felt the loss of warmth as acutely as if he had been thrown headfirst into a snowdrift.

"I'm supposed to meet with the King and Queen in two hours," Magnus told him suddenly, "in the Red Office. You should join us. I can't talk more about this here, it's not safe."

Alec got it: too many people, too many risks of eavesdropping... But this didn't make him feel any better. So when Magnus flashed him a smile and turned around, about to walk away, Alec discreetly held him back, his hand slipping in the crook of the warlock's elbow just in time to stop him.

"Magnus..." he called softly, whispering the name of the warlock for the first time, the two syllables rolling easily off his tongue, "You... I don't think you said this to anyone but... What I told you all these years ago..."

"... is still safe with me," the warlock answered without missing a beat, "And only me."

The intense relief that invaded Alec's body nearly made him swagger on his feet and only the support of Magnus' arm enabled him to remain standing straight. He let go as soon as he could though, a bit ashamed for his moment of weakness that Magnus had been witness to.

"Thank you," he said again when he found his voice back. "For everything."

He didn't know if Magnus would understand that Alec was not only speaking of keeping his secret but also of the comfort the warlock had brought him all those years ago with his kind words, words that had echoed in his mind ever since his visit to Magnus.

The warlock smiled, eyes soft and filled with compassion, and maybe he understood what the prince meant.

"My pleasure," he said with a wink. "I will see you later?"

Alec nodded and watched him walk away, a bit dazed and upset still, his stomach tied up in knots at he thought and thought about the reason why his parents would want to talk about him with Magnus Bane. He could not come up with a reasonable explanation though, so he resigned himself to focus on the party, even though he wanted to attend even less than before. Two hours. He had to wait for two hours before he could know what this was all about.

These two hours went by in a blur: Alec was too distracted by Magnus' presence and the upcoming meeting to really pay attention to what was going on around him; he was aware of speaking with a few ministers at some point, dancing with two or three noblewomen who giggled as he spun them around and he ended up with Clary again, since she could not spend the whole evening with Jace - that would seem too suspicious.

"Are you all right?" she asked in concern when she felt his hand shake ever so slightly on her waist.

"Yes," he lied, "Just a bit tired. And you know I don't like these parties..."

"I know," she laughed, "You and Isabelle could not be any more different. Seriously though, if you want, I could faint so you would have to carry me upstairs. You could take a break, then."

"Yeah," Alec scoffed, "And all the headlines tomorrow would read _Prince Alexander and Duchess Clary of Fray getting frisky at royal party_. No, thanks."

"Jace would love it, though," she pointed out with a shrug.

"And mother would kill me for starting rumours like that," the prince concluded. "Thank you, Clary, but I'm okay."

She didn't look like she believed him but eventually, she dropped the topic, which Alec was grateful for. Clary had a point though: the prince didn't feel quite all right and now, all he could hope for was that he would manage to hide it from everyone else. But... Alec felt like his brain was going to explode: he kept wondering, even as he danced with Clary, what business his parents had with the High Warlock and... Well. Seeing Magnus Bane again, after so many years, was throwing in his face everything he had gradually accepted about himself but was still hiding.

Not to mention that the warlock was stunning and while Alec was acquainted with many gorgeous people, Magnus was the only one he knew for sure was interested in men. Which, in turn, made him muse on his own allure: would a man with a liking for other men find him attractive? How would a man look at him? Would he think that Alec was pretty? Cute? Sexy? Or plain and boring?

The prince stopped thinking as soon as a little voice in his head whispered that he should be honest with himself and admit that he was wondering about one specific person: would _Magnus_ find him attractive? Maybe not... The warlock had lived for hundreds of years already, surely he had met his fair share of charismatic and beautiful people, so he must have acquired standards higher than Alec.

Speaking of Magnus, the time had finally come for the prince to follow the warlock's advice and give his parents a little surprise as he joined them for their secret meeting. Whatever this was about, it would probably last for a short while only: the King and the Queen could not both vanish for a long time from the party they were throwing.

Excusing himself, Alec left Clary with Isabelle, rolling his eyes when the princess and the duchess immediately started making plans to seduce the orchestra into playing something less traditional, a bit more modern. He wished them luck though, because they would need it: knowing his mother, she had certainly given strict orders to the musicians regarding the music and maybe even warned them against Izzy.

The prince left the ballroom as discreetly as he could, mentally thanking Jace who was, conveniently, sharing his best jokes with delighted journalists, and he absently noted that Raj was following him, coming out of the shadow of one of the ballroom columns. Alec had grown used to the dutiful, unobtrusive and silent presence of his security detail, who only involved Raj when in secure areas and included five more people when outside. After nearly twenty-five years of service, Alec considered Raj almost like a friend, even though the bodyguard didn't talk much - to anyone. But the prince trusted him and knew that Raj would do literally anything for him, which included keeping secrets from Robert and Maryse. Just like he knew that Raj would never have told anyone about his little escapade to Magnus Bane's thirteen years ago, he knew that his bodyguard would not warn his parents' own security detail that they were on their way.

When they reached the Red Office, the door was open. This room was remote from the party, enough so that his parents had not feared anyone overhearing what would be said there - as for the bodyguards, they were all sworn to secrecy. Alec had not even entered the room yet that he could already hear voices, more specifically Magnus', who sounded like he was having an argument with the King and the Queen.

"... cannot keep this a secret from Alexander!"

The prince stopped dead in his tracks when he heard his name and stayed just outside the room, curious as to what his parents could possibly want to hide from him - and why?

"We can and we shall," Robert answered while Maryse nodded, "If he knew, he would never accept extra protection and..."

"But it's his life on the line!" Magnus protested, without even caring a little that he had just interrupted the King of Alicante, "You _must_ tell him..."

"Tell me what?" Alec asked as he finally decided to walk in the Red Office, with an apparent calmness that he was far from feeling.

The reactions were immediate: at the prince's entrance, his father looked like he had swallowed a whole lemon and he crossed his arms in an angry move, while the Queen heaved a resigned sigh and sat on the red pouf behind her. All the cushioned furniture in this room was red, hence the name of this office, and Alec had never felt quite comfortable there: too much red, too much aggressiveness, that was currently reflected in his parents' eyes. Magnus, however, seemed glad to see him.

"Alec..." his mother said, clearly upset that he had shown up, "What are you doing here?"

"I was wondering where the both of you had disappeared," he lied, eager to protect the warlock who had revealed this little meeting to him, "We have guests, in case you forgot, and I'm sure they will wonder where their King and Queen have wandered off to. But now I'm curious: why were you talking about me?"

His parents glanced at each other in that odd way married people had to communicate with each other without using words and Alec could not decipher the meaning of this look, not until his father spoke up:

"Alec, you know who Magnus Bane is," he said eventually, gesturing towards the warlock who had summoned a bright blue cocktail out of nowhere, "although I don't think you have been formally introduced before."

"I'm Magnus Bane," the latter said with an amused smirk as he played along and held out his hand.

"Alec," the prince mumbled as he accepted the handshake, keeping his eyes down, afraid to laugh if he looked at Magnus - and _that_ would be embarrassing to explain.

"Oh, I know that, darling, I know."

The prince quickly let go of the warlock's hand, trying to keep his composure. Magnus' words, his mere presence, affected him in a way that no one ever had and Alec wasn't too sure what to make of it. For now, focusing on what his parents had to say was the only solution to ignore Magnus' strange effect on him.

"So?" Alec asked, eyebrows raised in question as he turned to face his parents.

"Magnus is here for your protection," Maryse eventually answered, wasting no more time in beating around the bush. "We received several fire messages in the last two days, all of them with explicit threats against your life."

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm getting surgery next Monday so I won't be able to update next week but I will do my best to update the week after, if I'm feeling well and if I manage to write as I want to. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you think about it because reading your comments truly lightens up my day. Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the feedback on the last published chapter! I'm glad to see that you enjoy the story so far, I hope you'll like what's coming as well. On a side note, I had surgery on Monday and everything went well, I'm now recovering and I managed to write this chapter faster than I thought. It took a lot of energy so I really hope that you will like it!

  


The Red Office was silent. Maryse, Robert, even Magnus remained still, waiting for the prince's reaction to the announcement that his life was in danger. Alec could almost feel the tension thickening in the room and he noticed that all bodyguards took a steady, almost military step closer to him, Raj first, as if they could keep their prince out of danger by their mere presence. And usually, they could. This time, though...

"Fire messages?" Alec asked, deliberately ignoring the part about the threats.

"An old, almost antique practice that enables warlocks to communicate," Magnus explained, hesitating for a short second before he demonstrated, closing and opening his fist in a sharp move to create a flame that flickered towards the ceiling, then vanished.

Not for the first time that night, Alec felt like his breath was taken away at the sight. For all the tales and rumours he had heard about Magnus' powers, he had never actually seen the warlock use his magic before and judging by the gasps a few members of the royal security detail failed to hold back, neither had they. The High Warlock was almost a legend, after all. Sure, he was widely known and renowned but mostly for the mundane services he provided, in exchange for the appropriate payment, for the people who asked. Aside maybe from his parents, Alec was not sure that anyone had ever witnessed the true extent of Magnus' magic - and had lived to tell the tale.

As the awed silence kept going on for a few more seconds, Magnus actually raised his eyebrows, clearly unimpressed with their lot, and cleared his throat.

"This mean of communication was often used... something like three hundred years ago?" the man added, a question to himself audible in his tone. "Not so much nowadays... And only warlocks do know how to send these messages."

"So the threats come from a magical being," Maryse summed it up for her son.

"Okay..." Alec slowly said, fighting the urge to tell his mother that yes, he had understood as much.

"Okay?" the King echoed, incredulous, " _Okay?_ That is all you have to say? This situation doesn't seem to worry you as much as it should!"

"Well, I don't know, are you certain that this _situation_ is as dramatic as you all seem to make it?" the prince asked with a shrug. "I'm fine, I'm not dead."

"Yet," Maryse chimed in angrily, her eyes darkening as she rose from the pouf she had sat on, "Alec, this is not a joke! These fire messages..."

"... are threats," Alec finished. " _Threats_ , mother. Tell me, why would a warlock with a real intention to kill me not just do that? Why bothering with threats when they could kill me with a snap of their fingers? This doesn't make any sense!"

"It makes sense to me, Alexander," Magnus said softly from behind him.

Alec startled when he felt the warlock's breath against his neck and turned hastily, eyes wide. He hadn't seen him move. Had he... used magic to do that? Or had he merely moved with stealth while Alec was arguing with his parents?

"H... How so?" the prince stuttered - and hated himself a little for that.

"Killing someone with magic doesn't come as easily as you seem to think it does," Magnus explained, speaking as if this was the most natural and logical thing to understand. "It requires an immense energy. Also, warlocks or not, people sometimes like to scare their victims before actually getting down to the serious business. You have a very limited knowledge of warlocks, Alexander, not that I blame you, but you should know that my people are players. They..."

" _Your people?_ " Maryse interrupted him with a murderous glare, "Magnus, do you associate with the very same people who are trying to kill my son?"

Maybe Alec imagined it but for a fleeting moment, Magnus' eyes flashed gold in anger and his mother actually stepped back, although she didn't lose her thunderous mood in front of the irked warlock.

"Maryse," he began, tone clipped, "Remember that I may be your ally, but I am and remain a warlock first of all. The warlocks of this land _are_ my people and they include good and bad warlocks, just like Alicante counts both good and bad citizens. A warlock is behind all this, that is true, and they will be punished accordingly when we catch them. In the meantime, do not insult me. My personal interests will always prevail over yours and I may have accepted to protect Alexander for a price but that doesn't mean I won't call off our deal if I feel like you don't deserve my help anymore."

The tension was so thick between Magnus and the Queen that for a moment, Alec feared one of them was going to explode. Around them, the bodyguards were starting to fidget, clearly made uncomfortable by this unexpected turn of events: what were they supposed to do if Magnus suddenly attacked the Queen with his magic? Alec didn't think it would come down to that but neither Maryse nor Magnus had blinked yet and...

"All right," Robert interfered, stepping very serenely between his wife and the warlock, "Everybody calm down. Magnus, my apologies. I'm sure Maryse didn't mean it like that, we have been... stressed lately, thinking about Alec's safety."

When the warlock nodded and eventually averted his eyes from Maryse's silhouette, everyone seemed to relax a bit more, as if it had suddenly become possible to breathe again. Alec could still feel waves of uneasiness in the room though, so he tried to get back to their initial topic.

"Uh," he cleared his throat, immediately drawing Magnus' attention to himself, "Sorry, what was that about protecting me?"

"Your parents asked me to track down the warlock responsible for these fire messages," he explained, "They also asked me to keep you safe, which is what I'm going to do, with a bunch of spells and special wards."

"I... Listen, it's..." Alec started, taken aback as well as a bit annoyed, "Thank you, this is very kind of you, but I don't need protection."

"Yes you do, Alec," the King insisted, "The threats are crystal clear and we take them very seriously, which you obviously don't."

"No," the prince said, shaking his head stubbornly, "I'm sorry, I can't do this. Magnus, this... This is not against you, I promise. I just... I can't."

He didn't even want to hear the details of what this special protection meant exactly: would the warlock follow him around like Raj? The prince couldn't, wouldn't stand it. Everything in Magnus reminded him of what he was hiding and it was so much harder to pretend when he had to think of it constantly... And if he was honest with himself, Alec knew that it would be a matter of time only before he outed himself, should Magnus be around: even like this, surrounded by people and his very own parents, the prince had to fight to refrain from glancing every now and then at Magnus' bared chest.

"As much as I wish I could respect your desire," the warlock said then, "I made a deal with your parents, not with you, Alexander. If this reassures you though, I'm not going to do anything tonight: I'm afraid I'm a bit upset still and my magic is unstable."

Alec nodded, glancing at his mother who was still visibly angry, while Magnus kept on a facade of calmness with such ease that the prince was actually impressed. It reminded him of his own blank mask that he reserved for special occasions.

"All right," Alec sighed in defeat, "We'll talk about this tomorrow, then. I can't be here anymore right now, so I'm going to head back to the party. At least one of us has to be there."

With a pointed glare towards his parents to show clearly what he thought of this protection deal that had been kept hidden from him, Alec turned around and strode out of the Red Office, noticing the steady and quiet footsteps of Raj following suit. The usualness of the discreet noise behind him helped him to calm down a little, although the past conversation was still reeling in his mind. Was he... too stubborn? Too conceited to think that these threats could be real? His parents had looked apprehensive and as much as Alec refused to accept that his life, that was not too easy already, would have to get more complicated because of those threats, he could not deny that Magnus had been on the same page as the King and the Queen: he, too, seemed to think that the situation should not be taken lightly. He was forced to admit that he trusted Magnus' opinion on the topic of magic more than his parents'.

So... He should resign himself and accept the warlock's protection. He would have to be careful. Keep his eyes on Magnus' face instead of his chest and close his heart to everything that had to do with the warlock. He couldn't allow himself to slip just because of the man's gorgeous face, not after thirteen years of bottling it up and keeping it hidden, safe in the deepest corner of his heart. His parents didn't seem too concerned by his celibate lifestyle so far, unlike the rest of the court, but if they heard about his sexual interests, Alec was certain that he would be married to some foreign princess the very next day.

Maybe his life truly was on the line, finally... But not for the reason his parents thought. The prince had known since he was a kid that he would most likely not have a say in whom he would marry but if he could push back the inevitable for a few more years, he would be glad. Therefore, he couldn't compromise himself: Alec decided that he would do his best to ignore Magnus' handsomeness, his charm, the easiness of their conversation, all of it. Magnus would be his protector, a friend perhaps, if he was lucky enough, but not a man that Alec allowed himself to look at.

"Your Highness?" a voice, laced with hesitation, called softly.

Alec glanced behind his shoulder at Raj, surprised - not so much by the call, as they did talk to each other, but by the man's tone. The bodyguard was used to command the prince's moves when they were outside, especially when they needed to be fast in order to avoid paparazzi or reporters and Raj didn't need to ask him kindly to move. To hear so much hesitation in his voice was strange.

"Yes?" Alec asked, coming to a stop and turning to face the other man. "What is it?"

Raj cast a glance around, probably on the lookout for threats, his usual paranoia strengthened to new lengths because of the King's and Queen's announcement regarding his safety. Alec refrained from rolling his eyes.

"I'm sorry Your Highness," Raj said, "I know this isn't any of my business but... Could you maybe consider collaborating with the warlock?"

"Collaborating?" Alec repeated, a bit confused, and his eyebrows went up.

"Just..." Raj hesitated again, before he breathed out, "I know you, Your Highness, and I know that you don't want any extra protection. I respect that. But could you... try to stay out of trouble? Accept Magnus Bane's shielding and help him to protect you? My team cannot keep you safe from magic and we... We don't want to lose you, Your Highness."

In all the years Alec had known Raj, never had he seen his bodyguard so upset and that, finally, made him realise that maybe those threats could be serious. Raj was the rational kind of person, not prone to easy panic, but since he looked that worried, maybe the prince should be too. It wasn't a comforting thought.

"I'm sorry I make you worry that much," Alec mumbled.

"It's my job," Raj answered with a shrug, "I knew it would be a tough one when your parents introduced me to the two-year-old boy you were then..."

"That time I toddled straight into the garden pond, uh?"

Raj's shoulders shook with repressed laughter and the prince couldn't help but smile, amused. He didn't actually remember falling into that pond but his father had told the story enough times to make him imagine the scene perfectly, as well as the face his younger self had made when he was pulled out of the algal water.

After all that time and all the problems young Alec had caused, Raj was still there, eager to do his job and do it well, even willing to let someone better fitted than him assume the prince's safety - anything, as long as the Crown Prince stayed alive.

"I promise," Alec eventually murmured, "I shall allow Magnus to do... whatever he needs to do."

"That's all I'm asking," Raj said on the same soft tone. "Thank you, Your Highness."

The older man took a step back after these last words, as if he was turning back into his bodyguard self when he had acted more like a worried friend mere seconds before. The moment was over, it was time to get back to the party.

Alec still didn't want to be there and if he had been given a choice, he would have headed straight back to his bedroom and slept for two whole days - or at least, attempted to sleep: he had so much going on in his mind right then that he didn't think he would manage to get any rest that night. He didn't know how long he had been gone but people had obviously noticed his absence, as well as his parent's disappearance. While he didn't care for what reason the King and Queen would give to justify it, the journalists very much did and they only stopped bothering him when Raj narrowed his eyes at them in a silent but effective glare.

When they backed away, he was immediately asked for a dance by a little girl who couldn't be more than eight years old; she was the Finance Minister's daughter, if he wasn't mistaken, and he melted for those wide eyes and red cheeks as she whispered in his ear that she had always wanted to dance with a Prince Charming.

"Well then, it would be an honour to dance with you, milady," he told her with a smile, that wasn't strained for once, as he took her hand and led her in a giddy dance that had her laughing the whole time.

By the time the music was over, they both felt a bit lightheaded and Alec escorted the dazed little girl back to his parents, who smiled at the stars in their daughter's eyes and thanked the prince for taking such good care of her. Alec would have had to dance with a lot more grown up women after that, a much less pleasant experience, if his brother had not suddenly appeared behind his shoulder.

"Alec..." Jace said softly, "Do you have a moment?"

Curious, the Crown Prince nodded and followed his brother through the waltzing crowd and toward the balcony, underneath which the blond stopped, glancing around. The journalists stood far away from them and the closest people were either dancing or talking, not really paying attention to the two princes who had gathered in the shadow. When he was certain that no one would listen to them, Jace spoke, mindful of the volume of his voice.

"What's going on, Alec?" he asked in worry.

"What do you mean?" his brother deflected the question with innocent eyes, fully aware of what Jace was talking about but reluctant to explain himself.

He didn't need his brother to add to the concern of his parents. Pus, if Jace knew, it would only be a matter of minutes before Clary and Izzy came toward him with panicky expressions and Alec wouldn't stand it. However, his brother knew him too well to be fooled by his ingenuous face and he crossed his arms on his chest with a serious, nearly severe look in his eyes.

"Come on now," he groaned, "Mom and dad vanished, you just came back from nowhere and you look upset. I'm not an idiot, Alec. So, spill."

Alec knew he could only pretend that everything was fine for so long: one way or another, his siblings would hear about the situation, either from his parents or by noticing Magnus Bane's constant presence around him, and they would be mad at him for keeping it a secret from them. The prince could already imagine their speeches about being a family and being there for one another, then blaming him for never talking about his personal life - not that there was much to say about that.

He heaved a deep sigh and slowly started to tell Jace everything that had happened in the last hour, minus the fact that he found Magnus (very) attractive. His brother listened without interrupting him but his eyes grew wider with every word that left Alec's mouth, until the Crown Prince finished by mentioning the protection that the warlock would provide for him. Then, Jace nearly exploded.

"How can our parents let Bane handle this?" he seethed, teeth gritted and eyebrows angry.

"What? What do you mean?" Alec asked, a bit taken aback by his brother's aggressiveness.

"He's a warlock, Alec!" Jace answered as if it explained everything.

It did not. The Crown Prince was lost: why did it make his brother so angry that Magnus was a warlock? That was sort of the point... Who could protect him from magical threats better than a warlock? Maybe Alec should ask Raj to have a little discussion with Jace to make him understand...

"For fuck's sake, Alec..." Jace groaned when he noticed his brother's sincere confusion. "You receive threats coming from a warlock and who do we call to protect you? A warlock! How can you be sure Bane isn't the one sending out the threats against you? Hasn't it occurred to you that this is the greatest plan ever? Getting hired to protect you is the best way to get close to you before he kills you!"

A short silence settled between the two siblings: Jace was taking a deep breath now that he had let out his anger and Alec was staring at him, completely bewildered. Jace sounded like their mother. The prince had known for a long time that warlocks weren't exactly trusted, that they mostly instilled fear in people's minds because of their magic that others could not handle nor understand. He had thought that Magnus, a long-time ally, would be shown more consideration and not be immediately doubted just because he was a warlock. Sure, an aura of mystery and danger surrounded Magnus but was Alec truly the only one to see a good man through it? Did their encounter from so many years ago help him to see the warlock differently, in a way that others could not perceive?

"I trust him, Jace," Alec finally whispered - and of that fact, he was absolutely certain.

He didn't understand why exactly nor where that trust came from, because he had seen Magnus for the first time in thirteen years tonight and he could hardly say that they knew each other very well before that. Yet, Alec felt like their conversation back at Magnus' loft one dark night had drawn them closer than two strangers could ever get: the prince had shared his most well-guarded secret with the warlock, who had kept it for him, while Magnus had shown Alec a part of himself that he probably did not reveal to most people. The prince perfectly remembered the concern in the warlock's words, his thoughtfulness as he prepared an alcohol-free cocktail for a desperate kid, his gentle and careful hug. Perhaps this, too, was a well-kept secret.

"You trust him?" Jace repeated, unaware of his brother's trail of thought, "Seriously, Alec? You don't even know the guy!"

The prince opened his mouth, about to argue, but he immediately closed it again, unwilling to say anything or explain what had happened that night when he was thirteen and in a very bad place. The blond, however, caught his aborted move and furrowed his brows.

"What?" he asked. "Wait, do you actually know him?"

"No," Alec answered - and that was only half a lie. "No I don't, you're right. I just... I have a good feeling about him. I want to trust him, Jace."

"Be careful this good feeling doesn't come back to bite you in the ass," the blond prince groaned. "I trust you, Alec, but forgive me if I can't say the same about uncontrollable powers like magic."

The Crown Prince nodded, although he didn't exactly understand such a deep mistrust of the warlock. But then again, his own experience with Magnus had forged his opinion of the man and not many could tell they had shared a similar involvement with him.

"I can't make you trust him," Alec replied, "but please... Don't be like mom: don't say that you don't trust him to his face. That's just... rude."

"I do have some instinct of self-preservation," Jace shot back with an undignified snort, "don't worry. But if he does anything, anything at all, that I don't like, if he as much as looks at you the wrong way... Warlock or not, he's dead."

Alec rolled his eyes. He was growing tired of everyone trying to shelter him as if he couldn't take care of himself - well, he would except Magnus, who definitely could protect him from dangers that he couldn't face himself. The prince really did not need his brother to start a war with the warlock though: Magnus had already threatened to call off his deal with the King and the Queen after Maryse's outburst, so he didn't want Jace to add fuel to the fire.

"Don't do anything stupid," he merely grumbled, which had his brother make an offended noise.

"I never do such things!" he protested.

Alec raised his eyebrows at that and earned himself a jab in the ribs, that he retaliated with the same gesture, although a bit harsher, and Jace let out a breathless laugh. Just like that, with a bit of bickering, the conversation was over and the blond prince was settling down, gingerly massaging his ribs - not that Alec felt sorry about it. The brothers were about to come out of the shadow when the Crown Prince held Jace back by the crook of his arm.

"Don't tell Izzy," he whispered, "nor Clary."

"Come on, man, don't ask the impossible," Jace complained, "They already suspect something anyway, I was not the only one to notice that you were gone. They'll kill me if I keep it a secret and then, they'll come to bother you directly."

Alec grumbled, forced to admit that his brother was right. Why did nothing ever work out in his favour? Seriously? The prince's whole life could be summed up by the things he wanted, craved even, but could never get and the things he did not want but would be coaxing into accepting anyway.

"Fine," Alec relented with a resigned sigh, "But please, don't say anything to Max. He's too young to worry about his big brother."

"Agreed," Jace said with a nod, before he added quietly, "Journalists caught us. We should go and dance with someone before they try to question us."

They were on the same page regarding this matter and the siblings hurried to split up as they got back to the middle of the ballroom; while Jace bowed in front of the first girl he caught sight of, Alec went out of his way to request a waltz with Lady Herondale, an old harpy whose mere presence would push away the journalists more easily than one of Raj's threatening glares. She saw right through him and smirked, yet she agreed to dance with him for a while, which was more than Alec had hoped for.

Soon though, the journalists all but forgot about him and his brother: the King and the Queen had come back, drawing all eyes toward them, and Lady Herondale patted Alec's cheek before letting go of his shoulder and retreating amidst the crowd.

Alec didn't care much about his parents' return: he was much more interested in the return of someone else who, unfortunately, was nowhere in sight. Magnus seemed to have vanished. Alec glanced around, he looked everywhere and yet, he could not catch the slightest hint of spiked hair nor the faintest sound of clicking necklaces. That was... That was great, right? What better way to avoid temptation than the absence of temptation? Still, the dominant feeling curling at the pit of Alec's stomach was disappointment.

The prince could not blame Magnus for disappearing though, not after what had come down with his mother: he, too, would be mad after being the victim of such behaviour. The warlock had every right to leave. However, without him, the ball quickly became even more annoying that it had been before Magnus' arrival: the highlight of the evening had faded away and Alec could not find anything interesting in it anymore. So, he discreetly signalled Raj that he wanted to leave and his bodyguard immediately nodded, staring at the crowd and examining the fastest way to reach the private quarters of the palace, mentally drawing a safe path to avoid people as much as possible.

His hand resting lightly on the prince's lower back, Raj led him through the dancers, up the stairs and into the much calmer private parts of the palace, where Alec felt like he could finally breathe again. Raj let go but stayed right there, a discreet presence as much as a constant support, and Alec quietly thanked him before making his way towards his chambers.

As he had foreseen it, sleep didn't come to him easily that night: tossing in his bed, the prince kept his eyes closed but still sleep deserted him. Oddly enough, the magical threats weren't the thoughts running through his mind and when he finally managed to fall asleep, Alec's dreams were filled with the warmth of golden eyes in which burned a gentle fire.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to share your thoughts about this chapter, all the feedback means a lot to me and keeps me motivated. Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you all for the amazing comments and all the bookmarks, subscriptions and kudos! I appreciate every single one of them and it keeps me super motivated. Just so you know, I got a job as a teacher (Latin and ancient Greek) and had my first day yesterday, I have tons of lessons to prepare so I might miss next week's update but I promise I'll try to be as regular as possible! For now, enjoy this chapter :)

  


"Your Highness?" a quiet voice politely interrupted Alec as the prince was about to swallow his first mouthful of cereals.

He held back a sigh of tired annoyance: one dramatic evening, one nearly sleepless night, strange dreams and still, at seven in the morning, he could not have this little moment of serenity? Breakfast was supposed to be a peaceful time, shared with his siblings and sometimes his parents when they weren't too busy to join their children. Alec really should not have been bothered this early: his brothers and his sister weren't even with him yet, for he had awaken before everyone else, eager to get one last morning of tranquillity. It would be a matter of time until Izzy jumped on him and asked exactly what was going on with the threats and how his parents planned on protecting him.

Alec deliberately took his time to swallow his spoon of cereals and washed it down with a glass of fresh grapefruit juice; only then did he turn towards Hodge, who was in charge of his safety when Raj was not. As it happened, bodyguards needed to sleep just like regular people and since Raj had stayed with the Crown Prince the previous night, Hodge was on duty until noon.

"What is it?" Alec finally asked, turning to his protector.

"Lydia Branwell has requested a meeting," Hodge informed him.

The Prince actually smiled upon hearing the words: he could forgive Lydia for her earliness, since he knew she usually didn't get much sleep either. Working for the palace could come with a lot of stress and pressure, which Lydia handled perfectly well, but working as the press agent of the Lightwood dynasty? Alec knew he would have quit after a week. Lydia had been doing her job for three years though and neither of the Lightwood siblings knew how she had managed that. Between a few scandals to hide or use to their advantage here and there, the palace social medias to deal with, a bachelor Crown Prince to protect from unwanted wedding proposals, Lydia had her fair share of troubles - a chance that the naked pictures Jace had taken at his nineteenth birthday party had never surfaced. The tough blonde would have killed him in the blink of an eye.

"Right now?" Alec enquired, mentally bidding farewell to his breakfast already.

"As soon as you can," Hodge answered.

Oh. Nothing too urgent then, otherwise his bodyguard would have specified that it was a very important matter. Good, he actually could take the time to finish his cereals - and have a quick shower and get dressed, too. As much as he enjoyed having breakfast in his sweatpants with his siblings clad in their own pyjamas with mussed hair, Alec would rather look professional for a meeting with Lydia - besides, you never knew who else would be attending those meetings. While he didn't mind the fact that his bodyguards regularly caught him bare-chested and dressed in loose, threadbare pants (something he'd had nearly twenty-five years to get used to), the prince would rather die than let a stranger see him in this state of undress.

Alec made a point of savouring every single bite of his breakfast and pretended not to notice Hodge's amused smirk behind his own cup of coffee. When he could not delay it any longer though, the prince heaved a sigh and stood up, taking pity on Lydia: a quick shower and then, he would go to her office.

On their way to the prince's bedroom, Hodge and Alec crossed paths with Max and his very own bodyguard in the stairway and the little boy's eyes widened.

"You already had breakfast?" he guessed, sounding a bit offended that his brother had not waited for him.

"Sorry buddy," Alec apologised, "Duty calls..."

"But you make better scrambled eggs than Izzy..." Max complained, which made the prince laugh while the two bodyguards tried to keep a straight face.

"Thank you," Alec said, ruffling Max's already messy hair with affection, "but don't ever tell her that. I really have to go, I'm sorry... I'll try to spend some time with you after my meeting, all right?"

Max nodded, although the prospect of not sharing his breakfast with his big brother obviously saddened him. He perked up though, when he suddenly got an idea:

"I have a piano lesson with Iris at nine!" he exclaimed with a grin, "Come and listen to me! I've made a lot of progress!"

"I'll try," Alec promised with a nod, "As soon as I'm done with Lydia."

"I like Lydia," Max stated out of the blue, "I want to work with her too..."

Alec stifled another laugh, praying that Lydia would not have to cover up one of Max's scandalous affairs too soon, and he patted his little brother's shoulder as he sent him on his way down to the kitchen.

"Nine o'clock!" Max reminded him as he turned at the corner of the hallway leading to the small, private kitchen the royal family kept for their personal use.

The thought of attending Max's lesson later and seeing the joy on the little prince's face at his presence spurred Alec on and he showered as quickly as he could, in hopes that his meeting with Lydia would be over in time for his little brother's piano practice. He went as far as to forgo Isabelle's warning about having perfectly styled hair no matter the circumstances and merely dried it with a towel, leaving his hair still slightly damp and sticking up in all directions. Well... He was not supposed to go out that day and he didn't have any important meeting scheduled, so he could live with messy hair for twenty-four hours. Lydia wouldn't mind either.

The press agent's office had always felt welcoming to Alec, in spite of the constant mess of files and pictures spread all around the desks, and the early hour did not make it any different: a smell of strong and sugary coffee hit his nostrils as soon as the prince peeked inside the office, clearing his throat to signal his arrival, and soft sounds were coming out from the speakers disseminated throughout the office while remaining out of sight. Apparently, today was Chill-music playlist day, judging by the gentle, electronic beat that Alec could hear.

Lydia was on the phone but she immediately noticed the Crown Prince and smiled, motioning him to enter and have a seat, gesturing to the comfortable leather chairs in front of her desk. Alec did just that, closing the door of the office behind himself, and he immediately picked up the morning papers scattered on Lydia's desk.

As expected, the front page of all newspapers displayed a variation of the same image, a picture of the royal family standing on the balcony while the ballroom erupted in applause. The prince absentmindedly leafed through a few of the articles, glancing at the pictures and bold fonts to make sure that the journalists had not seen or heard anything scandalous on the previous evening. A few reporters were actually wondering when Max would be allowed to partake in this sort of events and others were praising the orchestra, while the _Idris Express_ was criticising the ostentatious wealth of the royal family. The team from _Alicante News_ , on its part, had noticed the absence of the Crown Prince and his parents and was trying to come up with potential explanations, ranging from the King suddenly feeling ill to an emergency political crisis.

They had not noticed anything of importance, then. Alec allowed himself to grab Lydia's tablet next, with a few tabs already open on the most consulted and influential fashion blogs in Idris; all of them complimented Izzy's dress and gave both good and bad criticism on other people's outfits. Alec didn't plan on looking for his own picture, nor on reading what the bloggers had thought of his suit, but he caught sight of a specific image and his heart nearly stopped.

Magnus, gorgeous Magnus with his unbuttoned shirt and shiny necklaces, holding onto the prince's shoulder and smiling softly as he looked at Alec, who seemed impossibly flustered. Heart in his throat, the young man bit his lips in anxiety as he read the few lines of the article, nearly expecting the simple picture and the overexcited mind of the blogger to out him. He didn't see a single word about Magnus and him, though: the article focused on the warlock's outfit, adding a sly comment about the fact that the Lightwood dynasty still called on warlocks to do their dirty job but at least, Bane was a good-looking and fashionable one.

Alec could not believe it. A picture of Magnus Bane and him existed, on which he looked clearly (or was he the only one to detect it?) dazzled by the warlock and yet, people only talked about his lack of shirt?

"Earth to Alec, do you copy?"

Lydia's voice interrupted the prince's trail of thoughts and he lifted his head sharply, eyes eventually focusing on the blonde woman standing in front of him across the desk.

"What?" he squeaked out. "Sorry, I was... distracted."

"Clearly," Lydia snorted as she sat, "Sorry about the phone call, it was important."

"No problem," Alec muttered, slowly placing the tablet back onto the desk and trying to ignore the way Magnus was still smiling on the picture. "So, you wanted to see me?"

Lydia nodded and grabbed a pile of files to place it on the floor next to her chair, in an obvious but futile attempt to clean her desk a little, then she took one of the newspapers and opened it to a page marked by a bright pink post-it on which she had written _Alec_ \- and circled his name thrice.

"I've read every single article there is about last night party," she told him without preamble, "and a few have published the same picture."

Lydia pointed a perfectly manicured index at an image and Alec saw himself, dancing with Clary as the both of them laughed.

"So?"

"So," Lydia repeated with an exasperated chuckle, "Why didn't you tell me - or your family, for that matter - that you two were engaged?"

"W... What? Seriously?" Alec exclaimed, fighting the urge to facepalm at the journalists' antics. "That's what they gathered from that picture?"

"Apparently, yes," the blonde answered with a shrug. "I'll ask, just for the fun of it: is this rumour actually true?"

Alec pulled a face and Lydia laughed, closing the newspaper and throwing it in the bin under her desk.

"That's what I thought," she said. "Do you want to address the rumour, release a statement? We can also let it die on its own, since the sources are not the most reliable. Most serious newspapers won't actually publish that."

"I hope so," the prince grumbled, "I love Clary, you know I do, but marrying her?"

Alec shook his head. He knew that reporters tended to jump to conclusions, especially when they wrote articles about two celebrities' love life but... He and Clary? All of that because they had danced what, three or maybe four waltzes together? But what about Jace? He had spent a good part of the evening with her and... nothing, not even a small line in the papers? Did the journalists think that he was too fickle to settle down?

What had those reporters seen in the picture of Clary and he? Two people in love, ready to tie the knot? Sure, they were dancing and laughing together, but Alec saw nothing in those elements that could justify the possibility of an engagement. If they were so prompt to give him away to Clary based on that picture, Alec was even more surprised that his photograph with Magnus had not been more noticed. The prince could still imagine the weight and the warmth of Magnus' hand on his shoulder, as if the warlock had left a piece of it with him so that he could go back to it in dire times. How had the journalists missed the intensity of that moment?

"Uh," he cleared his throat when he realised that Lydia was still waiting for his answer, "I'd rather let it die. I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

"Agreed," Lydia said, jotting down a few words in a tiny, wire bound notebook. "Now of course, if you actually had a girlfriend other than Clary, it could be wise to address the rumour and set it right..."

"I don't," Alec stated, "and you know that."

"Just making sure," Lydia shot back with a smile and a wink. "All right. I wanted to talk to you about something else as well, if you have some more time?"

Alec nodded after a quick glance at the clock on the wall, an intricate design of a black cat and a grey mouse whose tails made the big and the little hands of the clock, respectively. It was not half past eight yet, so the prince could continue his discussion with Lydia for a while before he had to leave to listen to his little brother's prowess's on the piano.

"About your charity," Lydia started, which had Alec straightening up on his chair all of a sudden, "I got a phone call yesterday: the dorms and kitchens are done and the building should be fully habitable by December. Are you still set on an opening on Christmas Eve?"

Alec nodded, a thrum of excitement vibrating through his body: he had worked so hard on this project, although in secrecy - even Lydia didn't know anything about it except the location - and he was only one month and half away from seeing it come to life.

"We should start thinking of the kind of statement you want to make," Lydia added, "and when. Too close to Christmas would make it seem like you're in a rush and people will forget about it if it's too early. I think the first week of December would be nice, though."

Oops. Alec shifted on his chair, an uncomfortable frown crinkling his features as he realised that he had forgotten about the statement Lydia expected him to make... And he had also, possibly, failed to keep her updated about an important fact.

"What's wrong?" the agent asked with furrowed brows, catching up on the prince's clear discomfort.

"It won't be necessary to make a statement," Alec murmured.

"What?" Lydia said, puzzled. "But... Alec, I'm sorry but you can't just expect a charity founded and funded by royalty to open without a bit of an explanation! You need some publicity, you..."

"No," the prince interrupted her, his tone gentle but irrevocable. "I don't want any of that. In fact, no one will know about my role within this charity: I have decided to remain anonymous."

Lydia's confusion only grew when she heard the prince's words and she gaped, opening and closing her mouth, struggling to find her words.

"B... But..." she eventually stammered, "It's... unheard of! You have been so secretive about it, I don't even know the name of your project! I haven't said anything before because I didn't want to pressure you and you seemed really excited about it but... I can't help but wonder, why? This charity... It's a good thing, isn't it? Then why hide the role you play in this project?"

Alec looked down, staring at his shoes without actually seeing them. She was right, of course: who would not want to put their good deeds under the spotlight? But he had thought about it, a lot, using the hours he spent turning over in bed, assaulted by his fears and doubts, to make his decisions.

"This charity," Alec started, his voice clear and void of any hesitation as he looked up and locked eyes with Lydia, "is very important to me. I don't think you can imagine how much. And you're right, it's a good thing, it's great even, and I... I want it to stay that way. I don't want to associate it with the royalty or make it political, I just... I want to keep it simple."

Lydia stared at him for a second, still a bit baffled, but she eventually nodded.

"Okay," she sighed, "I can see that you are... adamant about it. Fine. This is your project, after all: your charity, your rules."

"I like the sound of that," Alec joked, although he was also dead serious, which Lydia understood immediately.

"Besides, anonymity means no statement, which means less work for me," she added with a triumphant smile as she pushed back a thin braid behind her ear, "You have no idea how trying it is to deal with your siblings' drama."

Alec chuckled. He was fully aware of how hard Izzy and Jace made it: Lydia might have to handle the official statements and the pressure but as the big brother, Alec was the one in charge of dealing with the broken hearts, hangovers and troubles of his younger siblings - a task he did not deem himself particularly good at in the beginning but he'd had time to adapt.

"Speaking of which," the prince said with a grin, "Max is looking forward to working with you."

"Oh God," Lydia complained - actually _whined_. "Please, keep your little brother's innocence intact for as long as you can. I can't deal with the four of you at the same time."

Alec understood that perfectly: handling himself didn't come too easy, so the four Lightwood siblings? Lydia deserved to go on a royalty-paid vacation for all her trouble. He should mention it to his parents when he saw them.

He would have teased her a bit longer, had the phone not rung at that very second, and Lydia flashed him an apologetic smile before she answered the call, not a single vestige of annoyance or despair left in her voice. Well then, Alec guessed they were done... Lydia had apparently discussed everything she wanted to talk about with him and he would not stay and listen to her conversation: he had somewhere else to be anyway.

The prince stood up and waved at her silently in goodbye, which got her to wink and wiggle her fingers back at him. Alec joined Hodge in the hallway and took a turn to the left, his bodyguard following him like a shadow as the prince made his way through the hallways and corridors, heading for the study where he would find Max.

The study was located nearby the garden pond, a fact that had often distracted Alec when he was younger: instead of studying the history of his ancestors or the economy of Alicante, the Crown Prince had found himself more often than not caught in staring at the trees and flowers surrounding the water. Birds of all kinds came to drink from the pond, some of them to trap the little fishes that swam under the surface and in the late evenings, quick bats replaced the small swallows that had flown around all day long. This was a sight that Alec liked better than the grim figures of great-great-grandparents who had passed away a hundred years ago - at least.

Jace had been a worse pupil than him though, skipping classes to wander in the palace and steal blueberry muffins when the cooks weren't looking. Alec had not once complained: his brother used to share the cakes with him and Izzy, in the secrecy of their bedrooms.

Thankfully, Max was better than the three of them together - which was a huge relief for Iris, the preceptor who'd had the misfortune to teach the boy's older siblings. On top of teaching them all they should have learned in school, had they not been royalty, the red-haired woman was in charge of stirring their curiosity for the arts, mostly music and dance. Jace had found out that he had a talent for the piano, a path Max seemed to follow, while Isabelle waltzed effortlessly - and Iris had loved teaching her, until the day Izzy had asked to learn a less stuffy dance, like the cha-cha. Iris had not liked it. And Alec... Well.

The Crown Prince had always been a sportive kind of boy. He still felt much more comfortable riding a horse or handling a bow than dancing the waltz and his teenage-self had been too awkward in this lanky body he had yet to fill out to appreciate a dance... Especially back when Iris forced him to practice with Jace, at a time when his feelings for his adoptive brother were not too clear in his mind.

Max, however, was great at the piano, a fact that Alec realised as soon as he stepped in the study, his footsteps quiet while he tiptoed to a chair in front of the piano. Izzy had already taken a seat, probably coaxed into attending this lesson by Max as well, and she welcomed him with a smile. They didn't speak: Iris was standing near the piano, nodding as the youngest prince played, and they knew better than interrupting the recital with their whispers. Besides, their little brother was truly doing well, with only a little hesitation here and there; the princess' eyes shone with pride as she listened to him and Alec allowed himself to relax and enjoy the music as well.

When the little boy finished his piece, Alec and Isabelle both jumped on their feet and clapped their hands, twin grins widening at the sheepish smile their brother flashed them.

"You were so good, Max!" Izzy exclaimed, "Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" their little brother beamed at them, "Iris said I'm getting better and better!"

"That's true," the preceptor confirmed with a smile as she came to stand next to the younger prince, "You should tell your brother and sister about our plans."

Max nodded, his eyes shining with excitement and impatience, and he blurted out:

"I can start learning _Eine kleine Nachtmusik_ next week!"

Alec was impressed, more by his little brother's performance than his German pronunciation that was bad enough to make Mozart turn in his grave, even though he understood Max's problem perfectly. When he was younger, he had struggled as well with the language, that he had learned at the same time as he learned French and Spanish - hence his trouble, for studying different languages at the same time and being eight years old didn't come too easily. Izzy had mastered it way faster than him, although by now he spoke German and French better than she did, thanks to the many meetings with foreign representatives that he was forced to attend, due to his rank.

"I have to keep practicing in the meantime though," Max added, which yanked Alec out of his memories.

"I'm sure Jace will agree to help you if you ask nicely," he said.

"That would be great for Max," Iris chimed in, "His Highness has always been talented with the piano."

She didn't say the words but her gaze as she glanced at Alec clearly meant _unlike you_ \- not that he minded much, since pianist had never been written on his top ten career choices list anyway.

"So," Iris added, averting her eyes from Alec's face, "This was a lovely lesson, Max. I won't keep you any longer, you may go with your siblings but I'll see you at three in the afternoon for your mathematics lesson."

Max waited for Iris to leave the study after a little bow in front of the princess and the Crown Prince, then he sighed.

"I hate maths," he grumbled, all his previous excitation dying as quickly as a candle got snuffed. "This will never be useful anyway."

"That's not true," Alec pointed out, "Economics..."

"But I don't care about that," his brother interrupted him, "Why can't I just play the piano?"

Alec didn't answer, for his line about doing one's duty to the country and the royal family would probably not find a benevolent listener, and he let Izzy tell their little brother that if he wanted to be a professional player, then he damn well could be one. Max was young, after all... He could still dream about a life out of political games.

Maybe Alec could make it happen, once he became King: relieve Max of whatever duties their parents would have bestowed upon him so that he could live the life he truly wanted would be a great achievement - maybe not as the King of Alicante but as a big brother, definitively.

Isabelle and Max walked out of the study with their bodyguards in tow and Alec followed, not quite listening to their conversation, until the young boy turned toward him.

"I read the papers this morning," he said proudly, "and I saw that you met Magnus Bane!"

Izzy and her brother shared a glance, both hoping that Max wasn't aware of the reason behind the warlock's presence, and Alec carefully nodded.

"What is he like?" Max asked, bubbling with excitement once again, "Did you see his warlock mark?"

"I didn't," Alec answered with a light shake of his head. "Either it's not visible or he hid it."

"Warlock marks are very personal," Izzy added, Max's curious eyes set on her, "So if you ever meet him, don't ask him to show it to you, all right?"

Max nodded, although his disappointment was obvious, but he seemed to have an awful lot more questions about Magnus and warlocks in general, however few they were nowadays, and Alec suddenly wanted to change the topic. He didn't want to think about why Magnus would need to come back to the palace, he didn't want to think about _Magnus_ at all, because doing that conjured an image of the warlock in his mind, dressed in the previous night attire and it wasn't good, it made his cheeks burn hot in remembrance and then there was the damn picture and Magnus' perfect smile and...

"I... I'm going down to the kitchens," Alec blurted out, totally out of the blue, eliciting surprised looks from his siblings, "I'll see if it's possible to bake a cake for dessert, we should celebrate Max's progresses, right?"

"Right!" Max immediately sided with his brother.

Isabelle was less easily fooled though and she stared at the prince with furrowed brows, taking in his sudden and visible discomfort, his fidgetiness, and his doubtlessly pink cheeks. She nodded warily and Alec didn't wait for her to comment on his behaviour: turning around, he literally fled the premises with as much dignity as he could master, Hodge hot on his heels.

He had to focus, he told himself while he shuffled down a staircase. He could _not_ let the warlock distract him like that, Alec had dealt with handsome men before and it had never posed a problem. Hell, the prince had worked out his _Jace problem_ , so why could he not get Magnus out of his head? Sure, the warlock had magic while Jace didn't, and he was kind and understanding on top of being attractive but that was _not_ a reason to...

He could not go further with his thoughts: suddenly, a loud whoosh of air resounded right behind him and Alec startled, whipping around in a rush to see what had caused the noise; he could only catch sight of golden tendrils of... of _something_ , opening in the shape of a door, before his swift and miscalculated movement made him trip over his own two feet. He slipped, lost his balance, and then he was pitching forward, his face coming dangerously close to the carpet-covered steps.

Hodge gave out a strangled cry and suddenly, two muscular arms were embracing him, wrapping over his chest and keeping him from falling, pulling him back against a solid body. One that did not, could not, belong to Hodge, and Alec immediately recognised the hands splayed across his own upper body as well as the nails painted the dark colour of a night sky, silvery glitter giving the illusion of tiny stars gracing these elegant fingers.

The prince shivered when an amused voice whispered in his ear, soft breath tickling the left side of his neck.

"Hello, Alexander."

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to tell me what you thought about it in the comments :) Hopefully I'll be able to update next week; until then, have a good weekend!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm so sorry I missed the update last week, I was kept busy by my school work, just like I said it might happen... So, I apologise and hopefully I'll make it up to you with this chapter!

  


Alec's heart was hammering in his chest, both from the fright and shock of his half-fall and from the sudden proximity with Magnus. For a millisecond, the frozen prince didn't know what to do, how to react to the unexpected embrace, foolishly hesitating between breaking free and leaning in when he should have jumped aside as soon as he had felt the warmth of Magnus' body against his back. Thankfully, Hodge took the decision for him.

"You!" he yelled, taking out the Glock that every single bodyguard in the palace carried and aiming it at Magnus instantly, "Move away from the prince, now!"

The warlock let go of Alec with a chuckle, spreading his arms as if to show that he was unarmed when Hodge and the prince both knew that Magnus didn't need an actual weapon to be powerful, but he didn't step back and kept Alec between himself and the bodyguard.

"Move," Hodge repeated, voice dangerously low and threatening.

"It's all right," Alec interfered before either of them could get hurt, "Magnus isn't a menace."

"With all due respect, Your Highness, I'll be the judge of that."

"How dare you?!" Magnus exclaimed, feigning offense, "I just saved your boss from near death and this is how you repay me? I am the High Warlock of Alicante!"

"High Warlock or not, you must respect the proper etiquette around His Highness," Hodge seethed, "Move."

"Fine," Magnus relented with a deep sigh.

He took a step back, then a second one since Hodge was still glaring at him, and the bodyguard finally nodded and slid the Glock in its holster. Alec didn't realise how tense his shoulders were until he relaxed when the gun threatening Magnus disappeared.

"Now that these pleasant greetings are out of the way, I can finally talk to you, Alexander," the warlock said, smirking when Hodge choked at the improper use of the prince's name. "Shall we?"

Magnus gestured at the stairs and Alec nodded, trying not to show how delighted the warlock's eagerness to talk to him made him feel. He should not open himself to this kind of emotion though, he should not seek the man's conversations, he should not... He should not feel so elated at Magnus' mere presence. And yet, how could it be any different, when he was able to be himself in the company of the warlock? Magnus knew his secret and wouldn't reveal it; Alec didn't have to pretend around him, didn't have to watch his words. It was as amazing as it was frightening: Magnus made it too easy to let go of the years he had repressed himself.

"So, uh..." Alec stammered, trying to distract himself from his thoughts, "How did you get here?"

"Portal," Magnus simply answered, waving his hand in the air, blue sparks flying.

"You can portal directly inside the palace?" he asked in surprise.

"Well, there are many, many things I can do, Alexander," the warlock shot back with a laugh, "And I figured portalling straight to you would be more effective than requesting a meeting and all that tiring procedure. Besides, this way, I can avoid your parents."

Alec nodded, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He understood Magnus' reasoning perfectly.

"I'm sorry though," the warlock added, "for scaring you like that. And I had no idea that you would be standing right in the middle of a staircase when I arrived."

"Well, thanks for not letting me fall flat on my face, I guess?" the prince answered, fighting a blush as he remembered the warmth that had surrounded him a few minutes earlier.

"My pleasure," Magnus said with a smile - and Alec believed him.

They grew quiet afterwards and the warlock didn't ask where they were going, silently walking next to the prince and watching with curious eyes as he talked to the cooks in the kitchens, who gladly agreed to bake a cake for Max. Everyone seemed to have a soft spot for the youngest prince, who had come as a surprise fourteen years after the Queen's last pregnancy. Max was the little miracle of the Lightwood dynasty and Alec knew that the cooks would happily get out of their way to spoil the child - a detail that their parents didn't need to know.

However, the smiles and laughter of the cooks quieted down and nearly died completely when they saw who stood behind the Crown Prince besides Hodge. In their eyes, Alec could see the same mistrust, the same wariness he had caught in Jace's eyes the previous night, when his brother had thrown himself into a tirade against the warlock. He didn't understand how, at first sight, people could be so scared of Magnus: did he look that threatening, was Alec completely blind? Or were people too judgemental?

"They are afraid of you," the prince blurted out as soon as they left the kitchens, which made Magnus turn to him with a shocked expression. "I... I mean..."

Oops. Did he sound rude? He hadn't aimed to, he had just wanted to voice his thoughts and his incomprehension but... Did Magnus think that Alec was scared of him as well? Worse, had he offended Magnus? It wouldn't be surprising, since it seemed to run in the family, but it hadn't been his purpose. Besides, the warlock had never frightened him, not once, not even when he was a thirteen-year-old boy whose crown that he did not yet wear was already too heavy on his head.

"I'm sorry," Alec hurried to say, "I didn't want to imply..."

"Yes, people are scared of me," Magnus interrupted him with a shrug, before he added with a smirk, "As they should. I could turn them all into ugly toads if I wanted to."

Alec couldn't tell what reaction to his words the warlock expected - a laugh maybe? An uncomfortable chuckle? - but judging by the owlish blink of his eyes, the prince's answer managed to surprise him.

"You certainly could," Alec agreed, "But I don't think you would do it."

"Oh?"

"No," the prince confirmed, shaking his head. "You are too..."

Alec trailed off, unsure of how to finish his sentence. Was Magnus too kind? Too generous toward this humanity who mostly feared him? No, these weren't the words the prince was looking for to describe the warlock. He didn't even know Magnus that well so he really couldn't say why this seemed like such a certainty in his mind, how he could tell that the warlock would never hurt a person who had glanced at him with eyes narrowed in suspicion. Magnus just didn't feel like that to him.

He didn't know how much of what he thought he knew about the warlock was true but in his mind, Magnus was like the sun. Comforting others with his warmth while he shone brightly, high in the sky and nearly unattainable. His strange powers certainly made him rather lonely and yet, he stayed around, helping those who needed it - for a price, yes, but helping all the same. And in some cases... Magnus did not want payment. He was just glad to do what he could to help.

In the end, unable to find the words that would say just that without twisting his thoughts into something he didn't mean to tell, Alec settled on slightly changing the topic.

"For the record," he started softly, "I'm not scared of you."

Magnus glanced at him, eyes playful and lips curling in a smile - the same as the one in the picture he had seen in Lydia's office before, the warm expression that made him feel so relaxed in the other man's presence.

"I know that," Magnus said, before his smile widened and turned in a grin as he added, "What I don't know though, is where you're taking me..."

Confused, Alec looked around and immediately caught the warlock's meaning: too focused on Magnus, the prince hadn't paid attention to where he was leading them and they had ended up in a long gallery that was not too frequented, neither by the royal family nor by the staff, for one simple reason: on the walls on either side of the passage hung the portraits of the kings and queens of Alicante from the past three centuries, painted figures emerging from the past to glare at the livings. When he was younger, Jace used to say that the portraits gave him the chills, that they seemed to judge him for being in the palace and treated like royalty when he was not, by blood, family.

"Well, well, well," Magnus mused as he wandered and stopped in front of a painting, "I must say that it had been a while since I'd last seen Queen Adamas. They didn't get her good side, apparently."

Alec gaped when he realised that the warlock was standing in front of a portrait that had to be at least two hundred years old and yet spoke of the deceased queen like he had known her. How... How old was Magnus exactly? The prince knew that he had been an ally of his family for generations now but... It was so easy for Alec to forget that Magnus was hundreds of years old, when they walked together like that, talking and breathing the same air! So easy to forget how different they were in their very nature.

"As much fun as this little tour has been," Magnus said as he turned away from the portrait of Alec's great-grand-uncle, "is there anywhere private we can go to talk? I'm actually here for the wards and the spells for your protection."

The prince felt his stomach constrict painfully at the words and disappointment fell over his heart, heavy and jarring. The warlock had come for the wards, just like his deal with the King and the Queen asked of him, and Alec was nothing but a fool. Magnus had not given an explanation to his presence before and for a moment, Alec... Alec had believed, hoped, that maybe the warlock was there for him. That he had sought him out of his own volition.

"Of course," Alec mumbled, looking down so that he wouldn't see if Magnus had picked up on his sudden change in mood. "Follow me."

The warlock had, in fact, noticed that the prince's face had lost some of its lightness but when he tentatively broached the topic, Alec knew that Magnus had failed to understand exactly what was going on in the prince's mind. Maybe it was better that way.

"I know you don't like this whole business of protecting you with magic, I'm sorry but I have to go through with it," Magnus apologised while they went through a large corridor, then up two staircases.

"I know," Alec replied quickly, "I know. That's... That's not a problem anymore."

He didn't say anything else and neither did Magnus; the silence that followed was uncomfortable, a word that had never fitted their interactions until then. The prince had gone through a lot of emotions and feelings since the warlock had come back in his life, he had been flustered and shy, star-struck and clumsy, he had tripped over his words more than once but it had never been awkward before.

He was to blame for the current situation, he knew that: if he was honest with himself, Alec was forced to admit that Magnus' sudden arrival, his company that he had offered with a smile, had made him feel important, like he meant something in the eyes of the warlock. He had read too much in this: yes, Magnus had held him, perhaps a bit closer than necessary, and yes, they had shared a moment when the prince had said, genuine in his trust, that he didn't fear the warlock. But in the end, Magnus was only there to keep his end of the bargain and Alec could only impute the disappointment crushing his heart to himself.

It was his fault. Alec should have known better than to allow himself to relish the warlock's company when Magnus was only there to protect him. But he had thought that maybe they could become friends... Perhaps he had been wrong.

Hodge grudgingly remained standing guard at the door when Alec entered his private chambers with Magnus and motioned him towards the creamy-coloured leather couch in the small living-room area of the suite. The warlock glanced around, taking in the framed pictures set on the bookshelves that made up the entire left wall of the room, and Alec watched him, feeling a bit self-conscious, as he walked up to the shelves to take a closer look. Magnus didn't say anything about the pictures but the prince did catch the quick smile that split the other man's face in half when he looked at the photograph of the Lightwood siblings: Jace and Isabelle, sporting twin grins and standing on either side of Alec who was gently rocking a two-month-old Max in his arms.

Even though the picture was a bit old, having been shot eight years ago already, Alec loved it. Lately, the four of them could not spend much time together since Alec was constantly in meetings with their parents, Izzy travelled a lot with the minister of international affairs who appreciated the ease with which she bonded with different people and thus, with different nations, while Max was caught in his education and Jace... Well. Jace did a bit of whatever he wanted, thanks to his unusual situation and position in the royal family, which enabled him to see Clary almost whenever he wanted to. He still did a bit of political work, mainly to please their parents, but it didn't interest him much.

" _The Art of War_ ," Magnus said lowly, almost to himself, and Alec could hear an amused lilt to his voice, "right next to the Arthurian Legends, French literature - _ew_ , Balzac, not a favourite of mine - and comics next to encyclopaedias and _The Lord of the Rings_. And... Are those colouring books?"

"Y... Yeah," Alec answered, flushing lightly even though there was no reason to. "Max likes to come here to colour them sometimes. I bought him those myself when our mother didn't want to, because she believed Max couldn't waste his time with silly colouring books. But I think... I think that he deserves to be a kid for as long as he can."

Magnus slowly turned gentle eyes to him and Alec averted his gaze, unable to stand the softness of the warlock's expression. It made him feel... odd. Like this was supposed to mean something special that he could not decipher, or maybe like Magnus was assessing his answers and building up his perception of Alec's character - and the prince wanted Magnus to like what he discovered, second after second. He wanted to show the warlock who he was, who he had become after thirteen years, helped in his self-discovery by Magnus' comforting words.

"This is very kind of you," the warlock commented, "And I see that you are quite eclectic in your reading."

"I'm open-minded," Alec mumbled shyly, "And... Balzac was a gift from my mother. I'm not a fan either."

"Makes sense," Magnus added with a chuckle, before he stepped away from the bookshelves and plopped down on the couch while Alec remained awkwardly standing. "So, Alexander, I was wondering... How are you?"

"How..." the prince repeated before he trailed off, unsure of the reason behind Magnus' enquiry and a bit dumbfounded - why was it suddenly of any interest to the warlock, if he was only in this room for the wards?

Maybe Magnus understood his slight confusion, for he smiled tentatively and explained himself:

"You looked quite angry yesterday, when you heard about the deal your parents made with me. I dare say that you didn't take it too well but today... You seem more aware of the seriousness of the situation. Almost resigned..."

"I am," Alec decided to tell him the truth, trying to fight the bitterness in his voice, "What else am I supposed to do when everyone is so intent on protecting me? Besides, I had an insightful conversation with the head of my security detail... Oh, and I'm sorry, about yesterday."

"Sorry?" Magnus echoed, surprise plain on his gorgeous face. "What for?"

"Well..." Alec hesitated, struggling with his words a little, "I... I turned down your protection last night. Believe me, I didn't mean to be rude. I apologise if I..."

The prince went quiet, words nearly forgotten, when Magnus jumped to his feet and crossed what little distance there was between them in order to put one nimble finger against his mouth, efficiently silencing him.

"I understand," Magnus told the prince with a tiny smile gracing his lips.

When he was certain that Alec wouldn't interrupt him, the warlock moved his finger away and the Crown Prince hoped that Magnus hadn't caught the way his eyes followed the movement of his hand. The warlock made it way too easy to let oneself be charmed and seduced; Alec felt like he was playing a dangerous game, one he should perhaps not play at all.

"You don't owe me any apology," Magnus told him gently, looking almost sorry that the prince had even thought about apologising in the first place. "You were kept in the dark about something that directly involves you and I perfectly understand that you were mad."

"Not at you," Alec mumbled.

For some reason, it was of the utmost importance that the warlock knew Alec had not behaved the way he had out of anger against Magnus. Yes, he had been angry - probably still was, if he actually took the time to think about it - but his ire targeted his parents rather than the warlock.

"Thank you," Magnus answered, flashing him a bright smile, that turned into a serious frown two seconds later. "Since we are talking about it though, I feel like I should perhaps apologise to you..."

"What for?" Alec asked, unwillingly echoing Magnus' question from before.

The warlock didn't miss it and smiled again.

"Your mother made me mad," he explained, "with her insinuations about my people... And me. I didn't mean what I said though, I didn't want to imply that I would not protect you anymore. I will do so to the best of my ability as long as you are in danger, even with Maryse being a pain in my ass."

Startled by the blunt words and the very unusual way he was talking about the Queen, Alec began to laugh - too hard, so hard that he ended up chocking on his spit and started to cough, turning away from Magnus at once in order to hide his embarrassment and his red face. The next second though, the warlock had moved, coming impossibly closer, until he could place one of his hands on Alec's back to massage it and appease his coughing fit.

It was enough to make the prince freeze and blush bright red at the warmth he could feel radiating from Magnus' body; he should have stepped forward, put some distance between the two of them but that sensation as he soaked into the warlock's aura was a pure addiction and Alec couldn't, didn't want to get away from it.

Magnus took the decision for him though: when he noticed that Alec had gotten his breathing under control - although with great difficulty - and wasn't about to choke to death, he slowly backed away until all the prince had to relish was the ghost of a gentle hand between his shoulder blades.

The prince didn't know whether the warlock had realised how much his touch had affected him - he hoped not, for his own sake and dignity - but he didn't dare to ask, nor did he want to: he would rather remain stuck with his doubts than give Magnus an excuse to apologise for getting close to him. He didn't want the other man to misunderstand the nature of his reaction, to mistake his sudden stillness for fear or worse, disgust.

It could not get any farther from the truth than that, though. All Alec felt right then, as the warlock took another step back, was an acute sense of loss, of longing for Magnus' warmth. A very dangerous trail of thought.

"So, the wards?" he blurted out as soon as he could, eager to distract Magnus from this moment.

"Right, yes," the warlock answered, sitting back down, "The wards..."

His voice was light, but blatantly so. It didn't sound too natural and for a second, Alec allowed himself to think that maybe Magnus had, after all, noticed and understood the prince's conflicted feelings. He was kind enough not to mention them and he didn't ask for an explanation, which made Alec both relieved and strangely disappointed.

"I studied the fire messages your parents received," Magnus told him after a beat, seemingly unfazed by the odd atmosphere between them, lightly craning his neck so that he could look at Alec as he spoke. "I tried to track down the warlock who sent the threats but I didn't manage to find them... They must have blocked the signal, they probably expected Robert and Maryse to ask another warlock for help. I did find out that the messages contain the residual magic of only one person though, so that's good. It will make it easier to protect you."

"How so?" Alec asked, genuinely curious.

He knew little about magic, way too little for someone whose parents regularly worked with a warlock: he was only aware that it came at a price, that Magnus was one of the most powerful wielders of magic in the world and that magic, for all the miracles it could accomplish and all the wishes it could grant, failed to change one's nature. Magic was also the reason he had met Magnus in the first place and for that, he was grateful, even though he hadn't gotten the expected result. What he had been given though, comfort, words of wisdom and a gentle smile, was worth all the miracles on earth.

"I intend to cast protection spells on you," Magnus explained, "Those spells will recognise the owner of the magic left in the fire messages and will repel every attack coming from their magic. If there's only one warlock to protect you from, the spells will be stronger because they won't focus on several people but only one; that means faster recognition and faster protection."

"Okay," Alec nodded hesitantly, "but... Is it going to hurt?"

"No," Magnus assured him, "You might feel a sort of... force around you, but that's it. Neither the attacks nor the counterattacks from my magic will hurt you."

That... That was good, right? Probably. But instead of reassuring Alec, it only made him worry a little more.

"What about you, though?" he asked, not even bothering to keep the concern out of his voice. "You said that your magic would protect me but... Isn't it dangerous for you? Won't you be... drained? Can you even be out of magic?"

"Not exactly," Magnus chuckled, amused by Alec's ignorance but fond of his eagerness to learn, "Exhaustion will make me weaker, strong emotions will turn my magic unstable, but I won't run out. As for the spells, I will transfer some of my powers into them, so that they are self-sufficient. And if it's all right with you, I will come back every day of this week to pour some of my magic in them; the amount of magical energy should be enough to fend off most attacks. By then, hopefully, I should have gotten my hands on that warlock."

"Hopefully," Alec repeated bitterly - which he would deny if asked. "Why does a warlock want me dead anyway? What have I ever done to them?"

"Nothing, most likely," Magnus answered with a shrug and a sad smile. "Which makes them seem even more ruthless: to come after an innocent like that... I don't believe you read the messages, did you?"

"No," the prince answered, shaking his head and frowning slightly, "My parents made sure of that."

A spark of anger briefly danced into Magnus' gaze at the reminder that the King and the Queen had kept Alec in he dark, but he quickly calmed down.

"It's classic blackmail," the warlock explained, "Basically, they want you to relinquish your heritage and give up the throne. Either that or they kill you - and they are quite graphic about what they would do to you."

"My parents won't ever let me give up the throne," Alec said softly.

Neither did he want to. He had been raised with that sole purpose, to follow his father and take his place when the time would come. It was his duty, what was asked of him by both his family and the people of Alicante - he could not disappoint them. Besides, he wanted to become King one day: he was aware of the heavy responsibilities he would be bestowed with but as a sovereign, he would be able to do good, more than he could as a prince, whose decisions could be overruled by the Royal Council.

"Hence my presence," Magnus whispered, sounding a bit sad, "Your parents know that an attack will come, which is why they are so set on having me to ensure your protection."

"Shouldn't we get to it, then?" Alec asked.

He was not impatient. Totally not. But he had to admit that he was growing more and more curious about Magnus' powers. The warlock had not displayed any kind of magic during their first meeting, save for opening a door with a snap of his fingers, but now he had seen him create fire and come through a portal, and he wanted more. Magnus was fascinating and everything that Alec learned about him, every word they exchanged, made him yearn for more, for the friendship he had hoped they could have.

Magnus was here for his protection though, he had made it perfectly clear, so Alec would take whatever he could get - and he would welcome displays of magic with his arms open wide.

"Very well, let's get started," Magnus chuckled, standing up and motioning Alec toward his spot on the couch. "First of all, you should lie down. It will be more comfortable this way."

"All... All right," Alec mumbled, suddenly not so impatient anymore.

He complied though, but being stretched out on the leather couch while Magnus was standing, towering and hovering over his body, was intimidating. He was blushing, he knew that, he felt it in his cheeks, burning hot, and he didn't even dare to look at Magnus' face. Yet focusing on his hands was a bit easier, so Alec watched them with rapt attention, observing his fingers move and gather magic in small spheres, blue sparks mixing with the black of his nails.

He gasped when Magnus finally laid his hands on his body.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to leave a comment to share your thoughts :) I'll try to update next week as well, if I'm not behind schedule with my lessons... Until then, take care of yourselves ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here comes the sixth chapter, I really hope you will like it. Enjoy!

  


Alec was floating. There was no other word to describe what he felt as Magnus reached out with his magic and touched him, gentle yet strong hands resting on his chest, above his hammering heart. If Alec had thought before that having the warlock stand above him was overwhelming, it was nothing compared to the actual sensation of Magnus' hands on him. The blue spheres that he had gathered between his fingers were flying over the prince's body, spiralling and caressing every part of him, light as feathers.

They travelled from Magnus' hands towards Alec's face, touching his forehead, his cheeks, the tip of his nose, then they divided themselves into several more tiny spheres that rushed to his shoulders, his chest, dancing around the warlock's wrists to bounce around his legs.

Still lying on his back, the Crown Prince craned his neck and strained to get a good look at those odd little things, but Magnus was in the way; as soon as their eyes locked, Alec blushed and avoided his gaze. He couldn't bear to stare at him right now, not in the middle of this strangely intimate process.

Magnus' magic was warm even through the layers of his clothes and Alec felt it tingle throughout his whole body. But beyond the physical sensation, the prince realised that something else was offered to him and his eyes suddenly grew wide when he understood what it was exactly. Magnus was willingly giving him a part of his identity, connecting Alec to a magic that was so deeply linked to the warlock that it was as if Magnus had opened a window to his own soul.

This magic was bright, this soul glowing, sincere and eager to protect Alec, just like the warlock had told him before. The prince had believed him, for he had no reason to doubt Magnus at all, but this? This was an unspoken confirmation, this was Magnus talking to him without the need for words, soul to soul.

Behind the light, something dimmer, darker and colder was lurking and crouching in a corner, eager to be forgotten yet always lingering. It felt old too and Alec understood that whatever it was, it had happened in the past and Magnus didn't want him to find out the exact nature of it. The warlock wasn't hiding it though, implicitly trusting Alec not to probe and to respect his boundaries. That, more than anything, warmed the prince's heart.

That darker spot was drowned in the brightness though and as soon as Alec's attention shifted away from the mysterious part of Magnus' bared soul, his warmth hit him with full force. The magic was embracing the prince, holding him like a lover would, keeping him safe, stirring reactions so intense within Alec that he gasped again. It was too much.

All of it. It was too much. Magnus, standing so close and slightly bending over him; his hands, still splayed across Alec's chest; his eyes, that suddenly found his own. The intensity of his gaze took the prince's breath away and, apparently, every ounce of sanity that he owned: unable to control his reactions anymore, Alec moaned, to his utmost horror, and his eyelids shut of their own accord as he panted, arousal spiking through his body.

His eyes snapped open when he realised what was happening and he jumped to his feet, lurching away from Magnus in a panic, magical spheres vanishing as suddenly as they had appeared.

"I... I..." Alec stammered, wringing his hands, shaking with fading arousal and downright shame, "I... I'm sorry, I..."

"Don't be," Magnus whispered.

When he dared lift his head, Alec realised that the warlock didn't look angry - he didn't seem particularly happy either, not that the prince expected him to, but rather... surprised?

"It isn't the first time that something like this happens," Magnus told him, "It's not that common but sometimes... People usually cry, though."

Alec stepped back, collapsed on the couch and hid his face behind his hands, his long fingers clutching at the dark hair at the top of his head. Magnus' words did nothing to make him feel better, quite the contrary: instead of being filled with relief and a feeling of _normality_ as he heard that this kind of reaction wasn't new to Magnus, the one emotion that reached his heart was disappointment. The warlock had done this before, had felt this with other people, and Alec was nothing special.

As if he had been able to read his mind and wished to contradict him, Magnus added softly:

"But this... This was especially intense."

Alec groaned, a bit desperate, as the words messed with his head a little more. He felt too many things around Magnus and it wasn't good, it was ruining years of efforts hiding who he was, what he felt burning in his heart.

"Alexander?" the warlock said gently, clearly knowing what he was thinking and eager to interrupt him. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"You don't know that," the prince whispered, shame still burning in his stomach and slowly taking over the desire, "You don't know, you... What I felt..."

"I felt the same," Magnus confessed on a quiet tone. "Which is why I'm telling you that you shouldn't be ashamed. You are human, Alexander, and even royalty has needs, cravings. You reacted this way and I don't take offense of that, so I hope you won't either."

When Alec didn't answer, Magnus slowly sat down on the opposite side of the couch, leaving a wide, empty space between them both. The prince appreciated Magnus' thoughtfulness as he didn't come too close, didn't crowd him: he wasn't sure that he would have reacted well to such a move and he didn't want to... ruin their tentative friendship, if he could call it this way.

He didn't even know what to tell Magnus, how to explain that he didn't think that this reaction was a normal longing for touch, closeness. Alec had never reacted so strongly to another man's body before, not that he had a lot of experience on that matter, but when he was younger and confused, scared by his feelings for Jace, he had never felt such a strong attraction to him.

Alec, now twenty-six years old, understood that the thirteen-year-old version of himself had not truly loved Jace, not in the romantic way at least, so maybe the difference came from that. Or maybe it was just Magnus. The thought was terrifying and at the same time... exhilarating. Back when he was thirteen, the budding feelings he had for Jace had been doomed from the start: Jace was his brother in everything but blood and there was nothing for him in this young, naive infatuation. Then Clary had arrived and had unconsciously helped Alec to understand that the blond boy would never look at his brother with the same adoration in his eyes as the Crown Prince did - and that was it, really: Alec had not felt true love for Jace but admiration, worship. But Magnus...

If he felt this way around the warlock, what exactly kept him from doing something about it? He was an adult, he knew and understood himself and he wasn't ashamed of his sexuality, even though he kept hiding it because he didn't feel safe enough to come out. He longed for Magnus' friendship but what if he could have more? Magnus himself had hinted that he had felt the same pull while he shared his magic with Alec, so maybe...

No. Magnus was here for the wards and his protection duty. He was there for the Crown Prince, not for Alec himself, and out of obligation, not pleasure. His deal with Robert and Maryse justified his presence, not his interest in Alec, no matter their history together. Besides... Magnus was a warlock, a hundreds-of-year-old being, so why should he even care about a fledgling like Alec, so fragilely human that it would take Magnus a mere snap of his fingers to make him fall over? And even if something was possible... Magnus deserved better than a prince in the closet.

"Did the spell work?" Alec asked abruptly. "Or do we need to..."

His voice died as he thought about doing it all over again. He wasn't sure that he would survive a repeat of it, either the sensations or the shame would overwhelm him.

"The first part worked," Magnus confirmed, accepting the brusque change of topic without blinking. "As I told you earlier, I'll need to come back several times to strengthen the protections but the basic spell is done. Now I just have to ward your bedroom, since it's the place where you sleep and thus, where you are the most vulnerable."

Alec nodded without saying anything, not trusting his voice not to waver: his self-confidence tended to run away whenever Magnus was involved. Besides, he didn't exactly know what to say to that... In the deepest corner of his mind, Alec could admit to himself that he looked forward to seeing Magnus again, to talking to him again. However, he mostly thought that he wouldn't be able to make it through another one of the warlock's visits unscathed: either the shared magic or Magnus' gorgeous face would make him do something stupid and maybe Magnus would eventually not react as kindly as before, finally fed up with Alec's lack of self-control.

But the warlock had apparently experienced the same sensations as him, which he didn't look too upset about.

"Alexander," Magnus called out on a soft tone, "Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not asking because of what just happened, I actually wanted to ask you before but..."

Alec stared at the warlock with brows raised in wonder, surprised by Magnus' sudden meaningless babble: he seemed to hesitate, perhaps debating with himself whether or not it was a good idea to ask the prince whatever he needed to ask, and Alec couldn't hold back a discreet smile. For once, he wasn't the one struggling with his words and the obvious doubt in the warlock's eyes saddened him a little, although it was comforting at the same time: maybe Alec wasn't the only one feeling vulnerable.

"What is it?" the prince asked, trying to prompt a fast answer from Magnus.

"How would you feel about going on a date?" the warlock eventually asked, before he added, "With me, I mean."

Alec would have snorted at that, for of course it was with Magnus, but the actual question made him freeze, leaving him unable to utter a single word. A date? As in, a real date? With Magnus nonetheless...

The prince's mouth fell open when he realised exactly what the warlock was asking and what the implications were, and his heart nearly stopped. Magnus liked him. He had to, or he wouldn't have asked him out in the first place, right? Right? And Alec wished he could say yes, he really did, but... Such an answer terrified him. Because Magnus was asking him to go _out_.

If he said yes, it would be their first (would there be others?) date but also, most importantly, his first date ever. And Alec didn't know what he was supposed to do, what this would lead to, and what if Magnus asked for something that the prince was not ready to give? Not to mention the fact that he would have to explain this, perhaps not to his parents but at least to his security detail and his bodyguards would follow them and how would Magnus and he ever feel comfortable if they were constantly surrounded by armed men always on the lookout?

Worse, they would certainly be spotted as soon as they went out, since the Crown Prince's moves were seldom not noticed, and if he was caught with the High Warlock of Alicante... This would be a disaster. Pictures of the both of them were already going around social medias, innocent pictures perhaps, but if this kind of photographs kept showing up... It would be a matter of time before scandalous theories broke out. Alec couldn't risk it. But how could he explain that to Magnus without making him feel like the invitation was unwelcome?

Speaking of Magnus, he surely thought that the prince had remained silent for far too long, because he spoke again, his tone incredibly soft and reassuring.

"Just for a drink, you know?"

And that, that was Magnus thinking that he was freaking out and trying to appease him, making him understand that he expected nothing more than what he was asking for, the both of them out for a night in the company of a full glass. Nothing else - for now? - but Alec panicked anyway.

"I... I have work to do," Alec blurted out, mind firmly set on a _no_ while his heart screamed _yes_. "I have this charity that opens in a month and I... I need to check some things and I don't know... I'm not sure... I don't have the time."

"Oh."

_Oh_. Such a simple word, so short and yet so heavy with disappointment that Alec wanted to take back every single syllable he had pronounced, every single word that had made Magnus' bright eyes dull with dismay.

"Is it a definitive no or may I hope for a yes some time?" the warlock asked, surprising Alec with his - not unwelcome - insistence.

Except that Alec didn't know if it would be possible one day. He said as much.

"I don't know," he whispered weakly, feeling like he couldn't breathe, like he was trapped with his back against a wall, torn between his desire to say yes and his fear to be found out. "I... I don't know, Magnus, I..."

"It's okay, Alexander," the warlock interrupted him, gentle but firm, yet hiding an unspeakable sadness that the prince feared to understand.

He couldn't stand it. He couldn't bear the thought that his refusal awoke a feeling that painful inside Magnus - but he couldn't go back in time and unsay what he had said, he could not even make it better right now: he was too scared of the potential consequences to accept Magnus' invitation to go out. Was it selfish of him, to protect himself at the warlock's expense?

"I... I have to g... go," Alec fumbled for words, aware that he was running away instead of having a proper conversation with Magnus, "T... Take your time with the... the wards and... Uh, I'll see you soon, I... I guess?"

He didn't wait for Magnus' answer, didn't give himself the time to analyse the warlock's reaction to his words. Instead, he strode towards the door and pushed it open so suddenly that he startled Raj who was standing in the hallway and had taken Hodge's spot.

"Is everything all right, Your Highness?" the bodyguard enquired, an edge of concern audible in his calm voice.

"Y... Yes," Alec squeaked out, already walking away from his suite, "Everything is perfectly fine."

If Raj noticed that he was lying, he didn't let it show and dutifully followed Alec through the palace, keeping his mouth shut and letting the prince deal with his thoughts on his own. Raj knew him well and he was aware that if upset, the Crown Prince would rather be left alone than be coddled or asked what was wrong. Alec rarely spoke about his feelings after all, a fact that Isabelle had blamed him for several times already, thus making him feel guilty for keeping private matters secret. But some things, he just could not tell her - nor Jace, nor Max.

Or maybe he could, yet the cold arm of fear was holding him back, poisonous voice whispering in his ears that if they knew about him, about the feelings hidden in his heart, perhaps they would stop loving him. Magnus once told him that he had to accept himself before his family accepted him, and he had come to terms with himself: he knew who he was, understood and accepted that no woman would ever make his heart vibrate upon hearing their voice, but he still couldn't bring himself to tell his siblings, much less his parents. The unknown scared him: how would they react? He was shaking just upon imagining the reactions he would get, either positive or negative.

Although he could not quite yet talk about that specific topic with them, Alec trusted his siblings on other matters. And so, he thought, perhaps they could help him figure out a few things about Magnus? Most specifically, about dating? Magnus had looked adamant about asking again so maybe, if he could think about it a little more, if he could try to figure out a way not to be caught...

First though, he had to find out what dating entailed, what was expected of him on a first date. He had to settle between asking Izzy and asking Jace to obtain answers, since Max was a bit out of the equation due to his youth; in a corner of his mind, he knew that it was as bad an idea as it was a good one, because his siblings would immediately understand that he wasn't seeking information out of the blue, that something had happened and prompted his questioning.

What other choice did he have, though? The only person other than his siblings he had talked to when he was looking for answers he didn't know he needed was Magnus himself - but he could not exactly walk up to him and ask, could he?

When Alec knocked on his brother's door and didn't hear a word, he assumed that Jace was either out with Clary or doing some work with or for their parents, so he decided to seek Izzy's help. He eventually found her in the private kitchen of the palace, sitting at the table with a plate full of lemon meringue pie that made Alec's mouth water at the sight, even though it was well before lunch time.

However, he hadn't forgotten why he was there and, already feeling embarrassment creeping up on him, Alec decided not to beat around the bush and asked the most burning question his brain had conjured up - because if the answer was _yes_ , then he was, truly, not ready.

"Izzy!" the prince called as he entered the room, quickly drawing his sister's attention to him, "Tell me, does a first date automatically end with sex?"

Isabelle dropped her fork at his unexpected question but Alec paid it no mind, for another sound caught his ear: the sound of someone choking on a drink; when the Crown Prince turned to his right, he saw that his little brother had been there as well, hidden behind the high marble counter as he poured himself a glass of apple juice. Oops.

"Are you asking for yourself?" Max asked as soon as he could speak, the little devil. "Do you even have a sex life?"

"Your Highness!" the boy's bodyguard, awfully red around the cheeks, squeaked at the boy's intrusive question.

"It's all right, Simon," Isabelle chuckled, "Alec didn't check who was there beforehand, it's not Max's fault."

"Sorry," Alec grumbled, "I thought you were alone..."

He trailed off awkwardly, glancing at Max and then at Simon, trying to make the bodyguard understand that he should take the young boy somewhere else while his older siblings discussed adult matters. After a few instants of confusion, Simon suddenly blushed and suggested that Max and he head out with a bag of apples to treat the horses in the stables, to which the child nodded with delight and excitement, the topic of Alec's potential sex life already forgotten.

"Well, you do know how to make a remarkable entrance," Isabelle said between giggles. "Pie?"

"No, thanks," Alec said, swallowing painfully as he sat in front of his sister.

The prince stared at her shyly from under his lashes, hoping that she wouldn't make fun of him for his outburst. He had foreseen that it would turn out to be a disastrous idea to even think of asking for the help of his siblings but he hadn't planned on Max accompanying Isabelle... He was willing to bet that his brother would tell Jace as soon as he saw him, then the blond man would tell Clary and eventually, Alec would be teased mercilessly from all sides. He should have known better, he should have looked up the answers to his problems on Google, he should have...

"So, was Max right?" Isabelle enquired after swallowing some mouth-watering meringue, "Are you asking for yourself? Or for a friend, maybe?"

The way she looked at him, waggling her eyebrows, sufficed to make him understand that she would not believe him, would he even try to say he was asking for a friend: Alec didn't have many friends. His closest friends were none other than his siblings and perhaps Lydia also qualified as such. His other friends were mostly acquaintances of sorts, met during one of his many diplomatic missions abroad, and the prince knew them only enough to be certain that he would have someone to talk to during formal gatherings. He didn't know them personally.

Then of course, there was Magnus, whom Alec would like to become - at least - friends with but perhaps he should not think about that right now.

"I'm asking for science," Alec eventually deadpanned when Izzy's eyes narrowed at his silence.

"Right," she said, obviously not buying it. "Would you, by any chance, have a crush on someone?"

"No," Alec immediately denied, refusing to examine the amount of truth in that statement, "I don't. I'm just curious."

"Clearly," she snorted, pointing her fork at him. "Well, nobody said it was mandatory to go on several dates before doing the do. Ever heard of one-night stands and casual sex?"

Alec nodded, although he could not imagine himself doing that: he could barely stand the thought of taking his shirt off during a medical appointment, even with doctors he had known since his childhood, so doing it for a perfect stranger who would ogle his body for a sexual purpose? No. Just... No.

"Knowing you though," Isabelle kept talking, smiling and unaware of Alec's trail of thoughts, "I'm sure you would want to wait before taking that step, so you would know the other and feel comfortable with what you're doing together. But since you are only asking for science, it doesn't really matter, does it?"

Her smirk turned into a victorious grin when her older brother blushed and Alec, as the mature adult he was, decided to run away before Isabelle could ask again about his so-called crush. Which he didn't have. So what if he had considered going out with Magnus if he could find a way to do it safely? It didn't mean...

Shit. Isabelle had only spoken of a crush, Alec realised as he crossed the main hall with Raj, she hadn't said anything about Magnus - how could she, when she had no knowledge of their shared past or the sensations, feelings that invaded her brother at one mere smile from Magnus? And yet, the prince's brain had immediately jumped to the warlock.

Shaking his head, Alec pushed it all in a corner of his mind and forbade himself from thinking about Magnus again... A real challenge, when the warlock's suggestion of going out echoed in his head like a mantra.

Eventually though, the prince buried it under a mountain of paperwork, endless piles of files to read, validate and sign, then some more forms to fill for his charity. Hard work and deep concentration managed to push the warlock out of his mind for a while, until Alec got back to his suite before dinner to freshen up a little.

He saw it as soon as he walked into his bedroom to grab a clean shirt, made of light colours so that his father would not tell him (again) that he looked like he was about to attend a funeral. On his pillow lay a squared piece of paper, covered in an elegant handwriting that Alec, even before reading the actual words, associated with Magnus. The sight of the note the warlock had left him made his throat dry up suddenly and for a second, the prince dreaded to find out that Magnus didn't want to come back, that what had happened between them and the way Alec had fled had upset him too much.

However, he flushed in pleasure when he read the short note. Magnus had scribbled a phone number and underneath it, carefully weighted words said _For the day you will give me a chance. I'll be waiting. M_.

Alec smiled throughout the whole family dinner, under Isabelle's suspicious gaze.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading so far! Don't forget to leave a comment to share your thoughts with me (or you can do it on my tumblr [like-a-bucky](http://like-a-bucky.tumblr.com/) if you prefer). See you soon with more!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of thanks to everyone reading this story and being so supportive of it! Your kudos, subscriptions, bookmarks and lovely comments make me so happy, you have no idea. Thank you!

  


If Alec dreamed that night, he didn't remember doing so when he woke up early in the morning. What roused him from his deep slumber though, he would always remember it: even asleep, he could feel something, someone staring at him with rapt attention and that, finally, woke him up.

Opening two bleary eyes and glancing around his dark bedroom, Alec's blurry gaze eventually focused but he didn't see anything strange, until his hazel eyes stopped on a silhouette leaning against the wall on his right. The prince jumped in fright and tried to back away, only to tangle his legs in his silk bed sheets and fall off the mattress with a thud and a pained _ouch!_

A low chuckle answered his graceless move and a familiar voice taunted him:

"Well, well, Alexander, that was not really the reaction I expected, I must say."

Magnus.

Light suddenly illuminated the room and Alec blinked, dazzled, when the warlock pulled the curtains open, revealing a sunny but misty morning.

"Rise and shine, Alexander!" Magnus exclaimed happily, spreading his arms out, rays of shy sunshine catching on his rings.

"What time is it?" the prince grumbled as he got back on his feet and rubbed at his sleepy eyes, feeling a bit stupid for overreacting like this when it was just Magnus - but now, he felt relieved: at least he hadn't been awoken by an enemy who had come to kill him after getting rid of his bodyguard in the hallway.

When Magnus didn't answer, Alec looked at the warlock, who was in turn staring at the prince - and his half-naked body, as he usually slept in boxers only. The previous night had been no exception. The young man gave out a weak yelp and quickly grabbed his bathrobe that he had abandoned at the foot of the bed last evening, putting it on with clumsy hands.

"You don't have to get dressed up for me," Magnus snickered.

Alec turned around to hide his blushing cheeks but he didn't answer anything to that and he tried very hard not to imagine what _Magnus_ would look like once naked. Instead of allowing his mind to go wild, he tightened his hold on his bathrobe, keeping it close to his body so that not an inch of skin would show below his neck. When he faced the warlock again, keeping his flush in check, Magnus seemed disappointed, as he had clearly liked what he'd seen, but the prince didn't relent and drop his clothes.

"What are you doing here?" Alec eventually asked when it became clear that Magnus was mourning the loss of the show the prince had unwillingly given him and wouldn't say anything else unprompted.

"Well, why do you think I came?" Magnus shot back with amusement.

Alec opened his mouth and closed it just as fast, suddenly unsure. Could it be that the warlock wanted to insist, extend his invitation for drinks again? But the note... Magnus had given him a choice, as well as the right to take his time and think about it for as long as he wished. He would not change his mind and pressure Alec into going out, would he?

"I told you I would come back to feed the protection spell with my energy, didn't I?" Magnus said after a few seconds of silence on Alec's part.

The prince blinked, his hazy brain suddenly catching up with the situation. The spell, of course. The warlock wasn't fully done with it and he had, indeed, warned Alec that he would come back quickly after the first part so that he could strengthen the spell with his magic. Alec held back a deep sigh as he remembered that: he hoped this would not give the same result as the previous day, he might not survive the burn of his shame this time, nor Magnus' innuendos and implicit agreement on the importance of what they had shared.

"Sorry," Alec groaned, "I'm still half-asleep."

"I can see that, darling," Magnus chuckled. "Sit down, it will be quick."

Against his better judgement, the Crown Prince complied and closed his eyes, surrendering and allowing Magnus to do whatever he wanted to do with him. The spell apparently required touching this time as well and the warlock gently took Alec's hands in his own, warmth spreading from his fingertips to the prince's. Alec tried not to focus on that though, not too eager to go through the same sensations as before... Not that they were unpleasant, quite the contrary - and that was the problem.

To his utter surprise, Magnus didn't speak, didn't joke, didn't even try to distract him while he worked on the spell. It would have been a golden opportunity to broach the topic of the date Magnus was hoping for though, especially since they were nearly holding hands. He guessed that the warlock _truly_ was a good man, one who didn't want to push him but would rather let him come to his own pace - Magnus had better be patient.

But the warlock confused him. Why develop an interest in Alec, when he could most likely have whomever he wanted? What made him so special to Magnus' eye, so special in fact that he was willing to wait for the prince? The more he thought about it, the less it made sense and the more it brought horrible possibilities and scenarios to his mind.

Was Alec truly more than a mission, a deal to Magnus? What if the warlock was merely bored with his task of protecting the prince and wanted to have a little fun at the same time? After all, Magnus had told the Queen that warlocks were players... On that note, what had his parents offered to Magnus in exchange for his help in this matter? What could possibly be interesting enough for a powerful warlock to interfere in Alec's fate?

Alec was scared, scared that this was but a game to Magnus, because he could feel himself start to fall for the warlock. If he wasn't genuine... Alec was beginning to see that it would break him.

When Magnus gently let go of the prince's hands, warm fingertips lingering a little on his open palms, Alec opened his eyes and asked, breaking the silence of the bedroom:

"What price did my parents pay for my protection?"

Magnus looked at him in surprise, eyebrows raised, and he summoned two fuming cups of coffee before he settled on the bed, next to Alec.

"Nothing better than a hot coffee to start the day, don't you think?" he asked conversationally, a small, soft smile on his lips even as he deflected Alec's question. "Cream, sugar?"

At his words, that were followed by a twirling gesture of Magnus' index finger, a silvery sugar bowl and the matching milk pot appeared, dancing around Alec's coffee mug. The prince smiled, unable not to, even though he was aware that Magnus was trying to impress him - seduce him? And it was working.

"Sugar, please," he whispered, an astonished expression settling on his features when the sugar bowl added two teaspoons of sugar in the prince's coffee by itself, before moving to Magnus' and adding one.

"Thank you," the warlock told the sugar bowl, that did a curious move that could have passed as a curtsy.

Speechless, Alec could only drink one hesitant sip of his coffee, thinking that his life had suddenly taken a strange turn. But, if he was honest with himself, he would not want to have it any other way - minus the threats, though. Magnus was bringing surprise and excitement to his everyday life and he enjoyed that, although not so much the endless list of questions about both the warlock and himself that made his head spin.

"The price for protecting you..." Magnus suddenly started, coming back to the matter at hand as if he hadn't just interrupted their conversation to drink a coffee, "As much as I would have loved it to be you, I'm afraid I had to settle for something else. Far less enjoyable but of great value nonetheless."

Alec swallowed his sip of coffee the wrong way at Magnus' flirting and he coughed, once, twice, trying to fight the tears in his eyes as he nearly died from the lack of oxygen. The warlock patting his back in a heart-warming but futile attempt at calming him down didn't really help, not that the prince mentioned that fact: he didn't _actually_ want Magnus to remove his hand.

"Your parents," Magnus explained once he was certain that Alec wouldn't die on him, "have agreed to give me full access to the Royal Archives, classified files included, something that hasn't happened since at least... Oh, four, five centuries, maybe?"

Alec stared at the warlock, actually surprised that Magnus had made a deal with the King and the Queen for... that. A bunch of old parchments and manuscripts. His confusion wasn't lost on Magnus, who smiled and nodded his wordless authorisation for the prince to ask his questions.

"Why make a deal for that?" he enquired, "Couldn't you just portal to the archives directly?"

"Alexander!" Magnus gasped, startling the prince in the process, "You think I would dare do that, without asking permission first? What would it be next? Slipping in the Crown Prince's bedroom unannounced in the golden hour? I would never!"

Magnus was grinning as he said all that and Alec couldn't help but laugh, the sound foreign to his own ears: he didn't have many opportunities to laugh freely like this, not since he spent his time in meetings and saw his siblings less often than he would have liked. Laughing with Magnus was refreshing.

The warlock's amused and, if Alec wasn't mistaken, fond smile faded after a while though; his face turned grave and the prince's last giggles died abruptly as he understood that Magnus would give him another explanation, less funny and probably truer this time.

"I could portal straight to the archives," Magnus admitted, "but for years now I've been interested in files that one would find in an area to which warlocks don't have access, due to nasty little detectors that react to magic and keep people like me out of the premises. Your parents deactivated those."

Based on the warlock's intonation, it was crystal clear to Alec that while Magnus appreciated Robert and Maryse's effort to please him and honour their deal, he estimated that those devices blocking magic should have been put down for a long time - and Alec agreed. How to restore the trust between warlocks and regular people, keep it strong, if warlocks were not allowed in some places and couldn't even read parts of Alicante's past and history? The prince carefully stored the information in a corner of his mind: either he would talk about it with his father and have him do something about it, or he would take care of it himself, once he became King. Alec believed in complete transparency regarding the government's actions and decisions, which would lead to trust and thus, the opportunity of building a world together, humans and warlocks. They could not do that if, due to ignorant and bigoted traditions, they kept a part of their people in the dark.

"What interests you so much in there?" Alec asked, eager to know more about Magnus and the reason behind the help and protection he had agreed to provide the Crown Prince with.

The warlock didn't answer as soon as Alec asked, taking his time to swirl the now lukewarm coffee in his mug and drink it to the last drop, before he pulled a disgusted face - maybe the beverage had actually been completely cold instead of tepid? Alec sure hated cold coffee.

"Have you ever wondered why there is so few of us?" Magnus asked, voice and eyes sad. "Years ago, centuries, even, hundreds of warlocks got murdered. I never managed to find out who was responsible for that, although I had my idea, but... I couldn't prove it. It's... It's personal, I lost very dear friends at that time. Some were more like family, Ragnor was..."

Magnus went quiet, closing his eyes. Watching him in silence, Alec suddenly wondered whether the warlocks' immortality was a blessing or a curse: it must be awful to remember for hundreds of year the deaths of people Magnus had been close to... Especially if those people, his friends, should have lived an eternity by his side, had their lives not been cut so sharply.

Alec's fingers twitched as he kept looking at the warlock: he wanted to hold him, hug him, bring him whatever comfort he could offer him, even though he had never been particularly talented at that, even after years of trying to take care of his younger siblings.

"You're hoping to find proofs, aren't you?" Alec asked softly instead of wrapping his arms around Magnus.

"Yes," the warlock told him, "Maybe the archives will reveal some of their secrets to me... It might seem too late for some, but when you have all the time in the world, like me, learning the truth, even two hundred years later, feels like justice. Closure, at least."

Alec nodded, throat dry. He wasn't sure to understand exactly how deeply the pain ran in Magnus' heart but he knew one thing for sure: seeing the warlock hurt this much, even after hundreds of years, made his own heart ache.

"Who... Who do you think did it?" the prince asked.

He hoped that Magnus wouldn't take his curiosity the wrong way; he respected his sorrow, his grief, but this was also a part of Alicante's history that Alec didn't know. He had never heard of a warlock genocide but apparently, Magnus had been there, gone through it, so if there was anyone to ask for tangible information, it was him. However, the warlock looked a bit hesitant to answer and when he did, he seemed to dread Alec's reaction.

"Keep in mind that I don't know for sure," he said for starters. "But I have always suspected the King to have ordered the execution of my people. The murders stopped immediately after his death, when his wife Adamas started to rule alone, and... Adamas liked me but her husband, not so much. He loved her though, so perhaps he spared me to keep her happy... Or it served a darker purpose: keep me as an ally but annihilate my people so that he would always have the upper hand on other sovereigns. Can you imagine what a man would do if he had access to powers like mine and no one else to stop him?"

The prince didn't really process Magnus' question, brain stuck on the man's former words. The King... Alec's fifth or sixth great-grand-father was responsible for those deaths, the death of Magnus' close friend.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered at last, "I'm sorry my family did this to yours."

"Their blood is not on your hands," Magnus said, resting his hand on Alec's thigh for a brief, comforting instant. "I would never blame you for it."

"I... I know," Alec stammered, yet relieved to hear him say it aloud, "But... The way he treated your people, the way my own mother treated you... I hate it. And I want you to know that... If I survive this, if I live long enough to actually become King, I promise, Magnus, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to keep your people safe."

Magnus didn't say anything to that but the way he stared at Alec in that moment, eyes soft and grateful, spoke louder than a thousand words. It renewed the prince's longing to embrace him, he wanted to throw all his insecurities and inhibitions through the window and just allow himself to act on his desires, just this once, just to help Magnus, however he could...

But he didn't dare to, didn't even know what to start with, wasn't sure that Magnus would welcome his touch, no matter how comforting and appeasing he would try to make it. Maybe the warlock was the kind of man who found solace in quietness and solitude, not in the arms of a friend - even less in the arms of the Crown Prince.

They remained quiet and unmoving for a while, both merely basking into each other's presence without admitting as much, until Magnus fidgeted then stood up, making the empty coffee mugs vanish with a lazy wave of his left hand.

"I should go to the archives," he said, and Alec thought he heard regret in his voice, "I should enjoy this privilege while it lasts..."

"I hope... I hope you'll find what you're looking for," the prince murmured.

Magnus flashed him a small smile before moving his hands in complicated moves, magic sparkling and gathering in golden spirals around his fingers, until the portal he was creating came to completion - and the prince was grateful that Magnus hadn't planned on walking out of his suite through the door: Raj would have had a heart attack. One leg already through the opening, the warlock suddenly turned around, locking eyes with Alec who was, bashfully, staring as Magnus prepared himself to leave.

"You will make a great king, Alexander," he told the prince with strong confidence in his own words, "Perhaps that is why people want to hurt you so badly."

On those parting terms, Magnus stepped fully through the portal and vanished, floating specks of gold the last vestige of his presence in Alec's bedroom. The prince immediately collapsed backwards on his bed, bouncing a little, and he closed his eyes. Magnus' early visit had ruined him; he knew that he would not be able to do anything productive that day... He already guessed that Magnus would stay in his mind for a few hours at least, as the prince replayed every single word of their conversation and conjured the images of the warlock's smiles.

He might have zero experience in that department but Alec wasn't an idiot, he wouldn't pretend to not notice what was going on in his own head, his own heart. He liked Magnus. To which extend, it was too early to tell, not that it mattered anyway since he would not be able, allowed, to do anything about it. His duty, his responsibilities prohibited it. But maybe he could enjoy it, just a little? Magnus' stares, his smiles, his light flirting made him happy, so perhaps... Perhaps he could have that, just that, nothing more: the feeling of someone caring about him, other than his siblings, his parents or his bodyguards. If this meant nothing to Magnus, if it was nothing more than a way to pass the time or a short-lived attraction, the warlock would be fine.

If Magnus truly meant it, however... Letting this strange developing friendship go on would probably hurt them both, in the end. Alec couldn't do that to Magnus. He... He was used to be denied what he wanted most, so he would be all right, with some time, but how would Magnus react to this impossibility?

The prince would have dug his own grave if he had kept going on that trail of thoughts but luckily for him and the people who would have had to deal with his depressed mood, a gentle knock on the door of his bedroom got him to focus on his surroundings instead of the warlock.

"Your Highness?" came Raj's soft voice, "Are you awake?"

Alec considered not answering for a few seconds, not too eager to go back to his princely duties, but his little brother's high-pitched voice made him change his mind:

"Alec!" Max exclaimed from the other side of the door. "Come out!"

The prince let out a nervous little chuckle and had to remind himself that it wasn't a closet joke before he stood up and went to open the door. Max had excellent timing: ten minutes earlier and Alec would have panicked, trying to hide Magnus somewhere in his bedroom so that he could let his brother inside.

"Why are you already awake?" he asked as soon as he opened his door, "You should be... Ooof!"

Max barrelled into him, burying his head in Alec's stomach and hugging him tightly around the waist. Staggering a bit on his feet, the Crown Prince exchanged an amused glance with Simon and Raj who were standing in his small living-room, before he looked down at his brother.

"Hello to you too, Max," Alec chuckled, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this early visit?"

"I'm free all morning!" the little boy exclaimed, "Iris is busy so I'll have lessons only in the afternoon. Can we play a game?"

Bless Max and his child spirit! This was exactly what Alec needed to keep his mind off Magnus, the paperwork could wait; besides, he knew that his brother wanted to spend more time with his siblings, so he wasn't about to say no and see the disappointment on Max's face. It would do them some good.

"Give me ten minutes," Alec negotiated.

On Max's happy nod, the prince hurried towards his bathroom and quickly showered, relaxing his constantly tense shoulders and the muscles of his back. He didn't stay under the water for long, eager to go back to Max and play with him, and when he stepped into the living-room, Simon had fetched a light breakfast from the kitchen while Raj was keeping an eye on the younger prince.

Max was definitely set on playing though and he only allowed his brother to devour a toast and gulp down two long sips of pineapple juice before he grabbed his hand and led him into the hallway.

"What are we playing at?" Alec asked, having accepted his fate.

"Hide and seek!"

"All right..."

"Your Highness," Raj intervened gently, "Perhaps this is not a good idea. Given the... situation, we must keep an eye on you at all times."

"The situation?" Max repeated with curiosity. "What is going on?"

"Nothing that you have to worry about," Alec said firmly as he knelt in front of his brother, "But today I can't hide. You'll do all the hiding, okay?"

Max nodded, although he glanced at their bodyguards in concern.

"Simon can't hide with me," he eventually realised, "Or you'll find me too soon!"

"Well," Simon huffed, "I'll have you know that I'm the best at hide and seek. I once stayed hidden for two hours and no one could find me, then I fell asleep and my parents called the police because they thought that maybe I'd been..."

"All right, thank you, Simon, you stay with me and His Highness," Raj groaned. "Your Highness, I only ask that you put limits to your playgrounds... We are not having you hide all over the palace, we must know your general location."

"I want to play in the South wing," Max said, "We never play there..."

"Fine," Alec agreed, but he knew his brother too well not to notice that Max had a hidden agenda, "And we stick to the first and second floor, we don't go near the dungeons. All right, Max?"

Just like he thought, his little brother deflated but nodded. Several staircases in the South wing led to the old dungeons, that were now unused but had kept prisoners for centuries. The place was dangerous nowadays, the ground uneven, and while Alec, Izzy and Jace had played there when they were younger, it was no longer safe to do so: some of the cells were still standing but out of habit rather than solidity, and rocks fell off the ceiling from time to time.

Once Max agreed with Alec's suggestion, their merry party travelled from the royal chambers towards the South wing, where the child quickly skittered away while Alec counted up to fifty. He made a point of not finding his brother too fast but to be honest, Max had a knack for hiding and Alec didn't need to pretend too hard: Max hid inside a huge chest, under a bed in an unoccupied guest room, behind the long and heavy velvet curtains of the hallways and in every other spot he could slip in, remaining still and barely breathing.

After a while though, Max seemed to run out of hiding places and Alec thought that his brother would ask to switch games but, to his surprise, he asked for one last try.

"I'll hide so well you will never find me!" he gloated, before he ran out of the room, deaf to Simon's concerned squeak of _don't or I'll be fired_.

Chuckling, the Crown Prince started to count again and when he reached fifty, he went after Max like a dog after a cat. He checked all of his brother's previous hiding spots but didn't find him; marvelling at Max's imagination and genuinely curious, he looked for him with a fresh competitive spirit and kept his eyes wide open. Simon and Raj, who had merely followed up Alec until then, actually started to search for the boy as well when the prince found himself at a loss of places to check, and then, after a solid twenty minutes, Alec started to worry.

"Where is he?" he wondered aloud, "I hope he didn't get back to the East wing, that wouldn't be fair..."

He trailed off when a terrible thought suddenly hit him and Raj, as if he had read his charge's mind, stopped dead in his tracks in front of an old staircase that meandered deep into the abysses under the palace. The dungeons.

"I told him not to go there," Alec muttered as he bypassed the two bodyguards and went down the first few steps, taking his phone out of his pocket to somewhat light up the way.

The old stone stairs were slippery and the Crown Prince had to catch himself on the closest wall in order to stay on his two feet but then, he froze completely. At the bottom of the stairs, one leg bent at an odd angle, Max laid unconscious, blood slowly seeping from a head wound.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers* Don't hate me *runs away*


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm back sooner than I had planned, I couldn't resist any longer... All the comments on the last chapter were variations of _nooooo, Max!_ and believe me, I'm so sorry about that ending ^^ So without further ado, enjoy this new chapter!

  


"Max!" Alec screamed in pure terror, heart falling at the bottom of his stomach before it went up to lodge itself in his throat, and he felt like he was going to throw up.

The prince lurched forward, uncaring of the slippery steps, but a strong hand held him back; turning around with furious eyes, Alec met Raj's gaze but every angry word he would have wanted to say died on his tongue when he saw his bodyguard's face: grave and serious, Raj had turned into the protective security professional that he was and he kept the prince at the top of the staircase, forbidding him to run towards his little brother.

Simon, however, was quick to get a move on and walked down the stairs, gun held in front of him and ready to fire. Alec's confusion at the sight only lasted two seconds or so and he suddenly understood why Raj was so adamant about keeping him close: they had no way to know yet whether this was an accident or whether someone had targeted Max specifically. And at that moment, Alec could perfectly imagine what was going on in the bodyguards' minds: what if the warlock threatening the Crown Prince had turned on the youngest heir?

"All clear," Simon muttered, before he knelt next to Max and assessed the damage without touching him, taking out his phone, "We'll need an ambulance."

"Simba down, I repeat, Simba down," Raj articulated against his wrist, where Alec knew he wore a tiny microphone, like all security detail members, "Phoenix secure."

For the few seconds the other bodyguards in the palace needed to communicate on their charges' security status, Alec's heart was beating so hard in his chest that he feared it would stop at some point, and he only relaxed a little when Isabelle's bodyguard answered.

"Dove secure," Maia said calmly, her voice a bit distorted by the mic.

Soon after her, the brothers Jeremiah and Zachariah made themselves heard as well, mentioning that Crown and Killer Queen were both safe, then the news came that Jace was out running in the gardens with his own security detail and perfectly fine. Raj finally let go of Alec, who hurried to his little brother's side, nearly tripping on the last step in his haste.

"Max," he called, voice broken, "Please, wake up, Max..."

"The ambulance is coming," Simon said softly, "The doctors will be there soon."

Alec didn't answer, didn't even glance at the bodyguard, unable to look away from his brother for even a second. He was so pale, except for the top of his forehead, at the base of his hairline, where blood was steadily flowing from the wound. Had he slipped, hit his head? Or had someone pushed him before fleeing?

Tears pooled within his eyes as he kept staring at his unconscious brother, one shaky hand reaching out as if to ruffle his light hair, except that he didn't dare touch him, for fear of doing something wrong. Should he place his hand on his brother's forehead, attempt to stop the bleeding? Wait for the doctors? Simon had told him that they were on their way...

God. It was his fault, all of this, he should have known that Max would try to sneak away and hide in the dungeons, he was just like Jace when he was younger; Alec should have decided to play in another wing of the palace, or perhaps he should have asked Simon to stay with Max... But thinking about all of that was useless now that his brother was hurt, there was no way to undo it, no way to go back in time with a snap of his fingers, like Magnus did whenever he...

Alec stopped breathing. Magnus.

Snapping out of the tornado of guilt wrecking his heart, Alec quickly unlocked the phone he was still grasping in his hand, searching in his contacts for Magnus' number that he had, on a spur of the moment, added to his cell phone after finding the warlock's note on his pillow. But Alec had never thought he would call for such an emergency.

"Hello?" Magnus said when he answered the call a few long seconds later, "Who is this?"

"Magnus, it's... it's Alec," the prince breathed out, aware of Simon and Raj's curious glances and grateful that they didn't stop him to ask what he was doing - maybe they had an inkling.

"Oh! Miss me already, darling?"

"What? I... Magnus, it's Max," Alec stammered as he tried to stay on topic, panic slowly rising in his voice, "He's hurt and I don't know what to do, there's blood and I..."

"Where?" the warlock interrupted him, his tone going from flirtatious to deadly serious in less than a second.

"South wing, the dungeons," Alec answered, relieved that Magnus seemed to understand that he needed him, "From the archives, it's..."

He shut up when a portal appeared a few feet away from him, giving way to Magnus and his grave face. He looked so different like that, radiating power as magic already sparked around his fingers, and Alec was so grateful that he was there that he could have cried.

"I know where the dungeons are," Magnus said simply, before he crouched next to Alec and let his hands roam above Max's body.

The prince didn't dare to say anything, holding his breath as the warlock examined his brother without saying a word, under Raj's piercing eye.

"The ambulance has arrived," Simon announced as he checked his phone, "I'm going to lead the docs back here."

Raj nodded and Alec grunted, but Magnus gave no sign of having heard the bodyguard, nor did he show that he had noticed his departure: focused on Max, he mumbled something between his teeth, fingers gently probing at the boy's skull.

"Is he going to be all right?" Alec asked hesitantly after a while, scared that Magnus hadn't said anything yet because he didn't have good news to give.

"I think so," the warlock said carefully, "But I'm not a doctor and while I can mend bones and stop the bleeding, I can't tell you how far the damage reaches. Skull injuries can be... tricky."

"Can you help him?" Raj enquired, his concern for Max overtaking the rule that forbade him to interfere in his charge's conversations, was he not asked for his opinion.

"I can fix his leg," Magnus declared, "But I would rather not touch his head. I can ease the pain though, and I can bring him back upstairs, where the doctors will have more space to work and stabilise him."

"Please," Alec whispered, his heart breaking more and more the longer Max remained there, laying in a puddle of his own blood.

Magnus nodded and stood up, raising his hands with a look of intense concentration on his face, and Max's body was suddenly lifted in the air, floating a bit above their heads. The warlock slowly climbed up the stairs, leading Max like a puppet in front of him, and Alec scrambled to his feet in order to follow, Raj behind him and turning back one last time to stare in the shadows.

When they got back to the hallway, Magnus laid Max back on the ground with so much care that Alec felt the sudden urge to hold him in his arms to show how thankful he felt for Magnus' help and the way the warlock was obviously affected by Max's accident - if it was one. Then, he immediately set to work on his leg and Alec watched, biting his lip in anxiety while Raj kept a wide open and careful eye on their surroundings.

Turning a broken bone back to its healthy condition obviously took a lot of energy, for the more Magnus focused and insufflated magic into Max's body, the paler and weaker he seemed to become, until he staggered on his feet and collapsed against Alec. He hadn't relinquished his control on his magic though, still healing Max, and the prince quickly wrapped an arm around Magnus' waist to support him.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"Fine..." Magnus mumbled, "But your protection spell and the several portals I opened in a short time have taken their toll on me. But don't worry... I'm almost done."

As he said that, Simon came running from one end of the hallway, paramedics and doctors hot on his heels, followed by the King and the Queen whose ashen faces were all they needed to see to understand the fear they had felt when they'd heard the news, heard that their youngest son had been found badly hurt.

Magnus finished just as they arrived and he swayed a little, managing not to fall only thanks to Alec's arm that was still holding him up. The prince didn't even think when he tightened his grip on Magnus.

"What happened?" Maryse cried out, while the doctors hurried to Max's side, "Who did this?"

"We were playing," Alec croaked out with a small, too small voice, just like when he was a little boy and had broken the beautiful vase his father had offered his mom for their anniversary. "Max wanted to hide in the dungeons and..."

"The dungeons? Why did you let him go there?" Robert asked with wide eyes that showed a hint of disappointment, "You know it isn't safe..."

"We had an agreement," Alec explained as calmly as he could, even though having his mistake thrown in his face did nothing good to his heart, already heavy with guilt, "He wasn't supposed to... to..."

"What about you, Lewis?" Maryse snapped as she turned toward Simon, fury in her eyes, "How did you not catch him if he fell?"

Simon deflated and looked up at the Queen with fearful eyes when he heard the anger in her voice and Alec felt bad for him. Simon had no responsibility in this, Max had not wanted him to stay close so that he could hide and he, they, had given in. But really, Alec should have known better.

"It's not his fault," Alec said before the other man could even open his mouth, "I thought that Max would be safe and I agreed to keep Simon by my side. I'm responsible for every decision that Raj and Simon made - or didn't."

"Besides, Your Majesty," Raj slowly interfered, "We are not sure that it was an accident and that the prince fell. We didn't find anyone but it could have been... an attempt on his life. As I said, we didn't see anyone, so our two options are either the accident or a magical intervention."

Maryse's and Robert's eyes widened at the words as they realised what the bodyguard was implying: that perhaps the warlock threatening Alec had taken another target. They had not received any new fire message though, not that the Crown Prince knew of anyway.

"No warlock did this," Magnus suddenly said, somewhere at Alec's shoulder level.

All eyes turned to them and Maryse's grew even wider, probably because she hadn't even noticed the man, too focused on her son as she let out her anger. Alec tried to keep a blank mask on his face, he tried not to blush under the scrutiny of all those people staring at him, still holding Magnus tightly. To his relief, no one commented on that, maybe because the warlock looked still a bit grey and it was obvious that he needed Alec's support.

"Explain, please," Robert enjoined him.

"I healed Max's broken leg with my magic," Magnus said, "The use of magic on a person always leaves a trace, no matter how powerful you are and how carefully you try to clean after yourself. I can assure you that when I reached out to Max, there was not a hint of magic in his body. No warlock, other than myself when Alexander called for help, used their powers on your son."

"So this could be an accident?" Robert summed up, clearly relieved that no magical being had come after his youngest son.

Magnus nodded, which seemed to appease Maryse as well, and the royal couple turned towards the doctors at once, asking for an update on Max's health.

"He hit his head pretty badly," one of them said, "His life isn't in danger but we do need to take him to the hospital to run some tests and check for brain damage. Only then will we be able to give you more information... We can't tell what the after-effects will be, not yet. I'm sorry."

Max wasn't in danger. Somehow, Alec couldn't focus on anything else but that, he didn't notice when the doctors lifted Max with extra care to put him on a stretcher and take him to the ambulance waiting outside, he didn't see his parents, their bodyguards and Simon follow them to go to the hospital as well. He didn't even realise that he was alone with Magnus and Raj, nor did he notice that he had let go of the warlock who was now the one embracing him and offering him moral and physical support.

Under any other circumstances, Alec would certainly have enjoyed Magnus' careful hug. He would have freaked out, yes, but after a while, he would have relaxed into his embrace and wished for them to stay like that forever. Not now, though. Not when guilt was eating at his heart.

"He could have died," Alec finally whispered, unaware that tears had started to run down his cheeks, "He could... he could have died."

And he would have been responsible for that. Not Raj, not Simon, but him. Max's own brother, his big brother, the one who was supposed to look after him and protect him, against everything.

"It was an accident," Magnus said softly, "Accidents happen, you didn't know, you couldn't foresee it..."

Alec didn't answer. Magnus was right, of course he was, and in a distant corner of his mind, the prince knew and understood that truth. But right then and there... All he could see was Max, dark blood gathering on the ground under his pale cheek, and it was all his fault. How could Magnus even try to comfort him, after what he had let happen to his baby brother? When Max was born, Alec had promised himself that he would always be there for him and in the end, he nearly got Max killed. How long had he been down there before Alec thought of checking the dungeons? How long had he bathed in his own blood before Alec realised that his brother had not kept his curiosity on a leash? Something that he should have prevented: he knew his little brother, after all.

"Alexander?" Magnus carefully called out, "Are you still with me?"

Alec nodded, not completely aware of doing so. Magnus. Magnus was there. Magnus had helped.

"I owe you so much," the prince finally whispered, raising his head to look at the warlock and into his warmth-filled eyes. "How can I ever repay you?"

Magnus did a weird little smile, something half-way between tenderness and sadness. His hand came up to cup Alec's cheek briefly, his thumb gently crushing the salty tears still dripping from his hazel eyes.

"You don't have to repay me, Alexander," the warlock murmured, looking awfully sorry that the prince even thought that Magnus would ask for something in return.

"I didn't mean to offend you," Alec muttered, averting his gaze from Magnus' soft, too soft and kind expression.

The sort of expression that made him want to bury his head in the crook of the warlock's neck and just _breathe_ , inhale Magnus' scent and let his eyes flutter shut, feel Magnus' arms close around him and allow himself to be cared for.

"You didn't offend me," the warlock said, still with the same low and soft voice, that turned even quieter so as not to be heard of Raj when he added, "Although, if you really wanted to repay me, I could go for that date we spoke of."

Alec smiled sadly, taking the comment for what it was: a way to lighten the mood and also a subtle reminder that Magnus would be there, should the prince want him to. And perhaps it was his momentary vulnerability, perhaps it was the fact that he was still in Magnus' arms - and never wanted to leave this comfortable place - that made him be bluntly honest.

"You have to know... I wanted to say yes, when you asked," Alec admitted quietly, looking at everything but Magnus. "I just... I don't know..."

"I meant what I said," the warlock interrupted him before the prince could lose himself in messy explanations, "I can wait for the day you feel more confident. Because that day will come, Alexander, I know it."

Alec blinked. Magnus was putting so much faith in him, it was a little overwhelming. So was the fact that the warlock was still holding him, when Raj was right behind them, as silent and still as a statue. Slowly, so that Magnus would not take it the wrong way, and full of regrets, the prince backed away a little, breaking free from the other man's loose but comforting embrace.

"Thank you," Alec whispered with a quiet sniffle, feeling a bit shameful for breaking down like this as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, "Thank you for everything, Magnus."

The warlock opened his mouth to answer, probably something like _you don't have to thank me_ , knowing him, but four different sets of hurried footsteps coming from the south end of the hallway kept him from speaking and he turned around, instinctively slipping in a defensive position in front of Alec, along with Raj.

However, they both stepped aside quickly and the Crown Prince finally saw who was headed his way: his siblings and their respective bodyguards, Izzy in a purple satin nightdress, barefoot, and Jace, clad in running shorts that were less sexy than he thought and that Alec would have made fun of in more usual circumstances.

"Alec!" Isabelle exclaimed as she engulfed him in a tight hug, before holding him at arm's length to actually see his face, "Where's Max? Maia said something had happened to him but she didn't know what..."

"Izzy, give him a break," Jace said, one glance at his brother's beaten expression enough for him to realise that Alec was in no condition to explain the situation. "Raj?"

"Prince Max apparently fell in the stairs leading to the dungeons," the bodyguard explained dutifully, although the sadness was clear in his voice and on his face, "Warlock Bane helped."

"That would be me," Magnus spoke up, breaking in a fancy little curtsy toeing the line of proper etiquette. "Your Highnesses, it's a pleasure to meet you, even in this dire event. I have indeed helped your little brother before the doctors arrived: I healed his broken leg but the skull injury will be properly treated at the hospital, given that I am no expert in that field. But I did my best."

"Thank you so, so much," Izzy said as she gripped the warlock's hand.

Jace nodded fervently at her side, which distantly surprised Alec: his brother had seemed so reluctant to Magnus' presence before, when he'd heard that he would be in charge of the Crown Prince's protection, that such a brutal change of mind was a bit of a miracle.

"I'm glad I could be of assistance," Magnus merely said with a modest shrug, before he added with some hesitation, "I think I should leave you to it... You might need time together, as a family, to... process. I'm sure the hospital will call soon. Alexander... You take care of yourself."

Alec looked up and nodded, more thanks on the tip of his tongue, but Magnus had already turned around to leave; as he watched him go, the Crown Prince didn't fail to notice that the warlock had not opened a portal and that his pace as he walked was a bit slower than usual. Magnus was exhausted and Alec wanted to call him back, suggest that he rested for a while in one of the guest rooms in the palace, invite him to stay for lunch, maybe, because he owed the warlock so much and the least he could do was to show some gratitude and give him back the energy he had consumed to help Alec in any way he could.

"Come on, Alec," Isabelle called, catching her brother's hand in her own, "I think you should eat something before you pass out."

"And you should probably cover yourself if you don't want to catch a cold," Jace scolded their sister, whose light nightdress didn't exactly fit a cold November morning, even inside the palace.

Izzy shrugged, more concerned about her big brother than herself, and she dragged Alec through endless corridors and toward the kitchen, where she opened the fridge to pick up the ingredients she needed to make pancakes from scratch, a way like another to cope with what was happening to their little brother in that same exact moment, only far away from them.

Alec simply sat at the table, too tired to protest, and even Jace didn't try to distract their sister from her terrible, terrible idea of baking - but only because Maia lightly suggested that she helped the princess. As her bodyguard, Maia had a pretty good idea of how disastrous Isabelle's cooking could get.

Thanks to her, the pancakes turned out to be quite good instead of toxic and Izzy was in the middle of filling a second plate for Alec and drowning his pancakes in honey when Lydia entered the kitchen.

"Hi," she greeted them all with a small, tired wave of her hand. "I got news from the hospital, your parents want me to hold a press conference in five minutes. I thought I'd tell you first, though... The doctors have put Max in an induced coma in order to prevent any brain swelling but if all goes well, he should wake up in a few days. His life is not in danger and there should not be any complications, although we will only know for sure when he wakes up. Oh, and from what I understood, Magnus Bane helped? The doctors said that there were traces of femoral artery bleeding, apparently it was healed before it could do any damage."

Alec closed his eyes, deaf to Jace and Izzy's relieved sighs and thanks, although he shared the sentiment. Femoral artery bleeding was no joke, no wonder Magnus had tired so quickly as he took care of Max... And he hadn't said anything, hadn't stopped, even though he was exhausted. Without him, Max would have probably been dead.

"I have to go and get ready for the conference," Lydia said, flashing them an apologetic smile, "I swear, for my first time working for Max, I would have preferred to cover up some scandal than make this sort of announcement."

Alec nodded at that, a sad little smile settling on his lips as he watched Lydia leave the kitchen. He remembered how excited Max had looked at the prospect of working with their press agent one day but of course, neither of them had thought that it would happen sooner than they expected, nor in such a tragic situation.

The prince pushed his plate away from him, ignoring Izzy's dark glare. He had swallowed his first two pancakes with a lot of difficulty and he didn't think that he could do it again, no matter how much he wanted to please his sister. He just didn't feel like eating anything, whether it had been cooked by Isabelle or not. He guessed he wouldn't be hungry until Max was back home, safe and sound.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked this chapter, don't forget to share your feelings about it ;) Have a nice weekend and until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on such a roll with this story, I can't even believe it. I finished this chapter this morning and the next one is nearly finished as well already, so you might get a second update this weekend :) I hope you will like this chapter!

  


Alec slammed the door of his father's study shut, the harsh sound echoing behind him as he rushed into the corridor, fists balled up in fury while his fuming mind replayed his latest conversation with his parents.

"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed to no one in particular, although Raj was walking right behind him, "He's my brother, they can't expect me to just accept it!"

But apparently, what Alec might think and what his parents wanted from him were two different, opposite concepts that appeared to be rather incompatible. Most of the time, the prince understood his parents' reasoning and could often see the wisdom in it but in this special case, nothing could explain their decision, except ridiculous fears.

When Alec had entered his father's office that morning to ask to visit Max at the hospital with Izzy and Jace, he had been faced with not only Robert but also Maryse, who had answered him with a final _no_. Maybe, if he had been alone, the King would have given in, agreed with his oldest son's suggestion of staying with Max for a little while... Even though the child was asleep and wouldn't wake up before the doctors were sure that he would be all right, Alec and his siblings felt bad for leaving him all alone, security detail not included, in a white, sanitised and impersonal room.

Oh, the prince didn't doubt that it was just as hard for his parents to bear the thought of their youngest son on his own at the hospital but, as they said, duty came first - something that Alec would have agreed on, if it weren't his own brother lying in that hospital bed. Maryse had made herself completely clear, though: while Izzy and Jace were free to come and go as they pleased, Alec would not be allowed to leave the palace.

Furious at the mere remembrance of her decision, the young man picked up his pace, trying to vent out his frustration through a mindless walk in the palace corridors, although it didn't seem very efficient so far. He was too angry for that...

Alec had told his mother that he would clear his schedule so that his _duty_ could give some more room to Max but it hadn't been enough for Maryse to relent: leaving the premises of the palace would mean exposing the Crown Prince, turning him into a target for the warlock who was still after him, and Alec... Alec had exploded. Metaphorically speaking.

"What use was it to ask Magnus to protect me, then?!" he had yelled, too irritated to note his parents' bewilderment at his sudden outburst, "You never said that needing protection would mean that I'd become a prisoner!"

He had stormed out afterwards, unable, unwilling to stand in the same room as his parents who had deprived him from his right to see his little brother out of fear, who had reached the goal that the warlock threatening the Crown Prince had set for them: Maryse and Robert were scared of what might be coming for their firstborn son.

Alec was not. He trusted Magnus wholeheartedly and if he said that his magic would do the job if it came down to an attack, then Alec believed him and didn't have any reason to be afraid of going out. Besides... It had been four days since his parents had told him, begrudgingly, about the fire messages and the prince was still alive, unharmed and pissed at being treated like a child who couldn't take care of himself.

The prince abruptly stopped walking when he found himself in front of a closed door, realising only at that second that he hadn't paid the slightest attention to his surroundings and where he was going. Rolling his eyes at himself for his distraction, he noticed that he was standing in front of the door that led to the archives and their endless shelves of files, and... Alec hesitated. He took a step back and tilted his head to the side, considering whether he should enter the messy room or not.

If he did and if he was lucky, he would find Magnus there, busy leafing through some file as he looked for evidence regarding the warlock genocide from two centuries ago. But there was also a little chance that he _wouldn't_ be there, since he had a packed schedule - not that Alec could blame him: usually, he didn't have a lot of free time either. But... Would Magnus think that he was intruding, coming where he had not been invited?

Alec wouldn't lie to himself: he wanted to see Magnus. The warlock had the weird ability of turning him into a spluttering mess with his blatant flirting and beautiful face but strangely, the prince didn't mind it; even better, he _liked_ it, no matter how hard he blushed. And he wished, oh, from the bottom of his heart, he wished he was able to flirt back without any inhibition, to convey how much he liked Magnus and enjoyed his presence, even if only to complete some protection spell.

Which led to a painful question: once the spell would be done, once the rogue warlock would be caught... Would he see Magnus again? Alec didn't think he would be able to stand it if he didn't. He cared about Magnus. He was... He was amazing. The warlock made him laugh, he made him feel free from all his responsibilities, he made him want to be himself and not some persona with desires that didn't match his own, real feelings. And it was dangerous but Alec loved it, so that was why he pushed the door to the archives open.

Immediately, the dusty smell of old, moth-eaten files filled his nostrils and he actually heard Raj muffle a light cough as they both stepped into this heavy atmosphere: the walls of the large room felt like they were tapestried with dust. Alec remembered playing in the archives once or twice with his siblings when they were younger, since the great amount of shelves made up the perfect labyrinth to wander through, but none of them had frequented this room much after their childhood. Most people didn't either, hence the lack of cleaning up...

A few high windows let in the pale, gray light of this November day and the resulting lighting was truly morose, but Alec's face lit up when he caught sight of Magnus. Face grave, the warlock was occupying a less dusty corner of the room, probably magically vacuumed, and he was sitting amidst a mountain of files, some open, some carelessly thrown aside, sheets of paper spilling from thick binders.

Magnus raised his head when he heard the prince's footsteps and his frown turned into a happy little smile when he saw Alec.

"Alexander!" he exclaimed, closing another binder with a snap, "I wasn't expecting you!"

"I didn't expect to come here either," Alec admitted, keeping silent the part where he had wanted to see Magnus badly enough to seek him out. "I... I hope I'm not bothering you?"

"Not at all," the warlock answered with a quick shake of his head. "Your company is always a pleasure."

Behind the prince, Raj sneezed several times in a row and when Alec turned to glance at him, he looked so pitiful with his red eyes that the prince showed him mercy.

"You can leave if you want," he suggested, "I'm not in any danger if I stay with Magnus."

"I promise not to let anything happen to him," the warlock chirped with a grin.

Raj seemed to hesitate but then he nodded, right before another sneezing fit hit him.

"F... Fine," he eventually stammered, "Thank you, Your Highness, High Warlock Bane... I'll wait in the hallway."

"All right," Alec agreed, before he added haltingly, "Uh... Raj? Could you... not let anyone in while I'm here? Especially not my parents?"

Because Alec didn't want to see anyone, of course. Not because he wanted to be completely alone with Magnus. Not at all.

Raj nodded with a sympathetic smile, well aware that seeing his parents was the last thing the Crown Prince wanted in this very moment, and he turned around to leave the archives and wait in front of the door. As soon as he stepped outside, Alec's attention snapped back to Magnus, who was already staring at him with fondness in his eyes.

"H... Hi," Alec said, feeling a bit dumb all of a sudden, "Uh, how... How are you?"

"Shouldn't I be the one to ask you that?" Magnus enquired, raising a dark eyebrow.

"I'm fine," the prince immediately shot back, unwilling to tell and burden the warlock with everything that was bothering him, "But what about you? You looked so tired yesterday, I... I was worried."

He admitted as much in a low, quiet whisper, suddenly feeling shy as he stood in front of Magnus and bared himself. He didn't dare look at the warlock, for fear of showing something that he wasn't ready to show - not yet, maybe not ever.

"Nothing a good night of sleep couldn't fix," Magnus reassured him with a smile even as he patted the ground next to him. "Come, sit with me."

Alec complied, stepping around the mess of files that he was pretty sure Magnus should have been supposed to open on a table and not on the ground itself, but he didn't point that out and sat down instead, a bit too close to the warlock and still feeling like they were too far away.

"How's Max?" Magnus asked, worry briefly setting on his features, "I watched the press conference yesterday but maybe you have fresher news?"

"Not really," Alec was forced to admit, which he absolutely hated, and he knew he sounded a bit bitter as he added, "Max is stable and won't wake up before a few days but that's it. I don't know anything else. My parents forbade me to go to the hospital and see him, I'll have to wait for Izzy and Jace to come back."

Magnus hummed at that, nodding as if he understood why the Queen and the King would keep their son from visiting his little brother, even though Alec hadn't said the reason aloud. But Magnus had known his parents for a very long time, so perhaps he didn't need the prince's explanations.

"Have you found out anything about the... the warlock genocide?" Alec asked with just a tiny hint of hesitation, eager to switch topics and focus on something else than his brother's health.

"Not exactly," Magnus answered with a deep, tired sigh. "I've leafed throughout a hundred of files already and I didn't find much... Only a list with the names of twenty victims, which makes me think that I was right to believe that royalty was somehow involved in this. There's nothing that reveals the King's active participation in the process though... Not yet."

Magnus looked both frustrated and weary with this poor result and Alec struggled to refrain from grabbing his hand and squeeze it in a comforting way. He remembered the way he had hugged the warlock the previous day, how Magnus had embraced him, but that was all a... a spur of the moment kind of thing. Magnus had needed support not to collapse and Alec had needed it in order not to fall apart. Their behaviour had been dictated by the adrenaline and the strong emotions piercing through them but this, right now, this wasn't the same. Taking Magnus' hand would be a conscious decision, one that Alec wasn't sure he would be able to come back from, so he kept his hands to himself, briefly longing for the courage to go after what he wanted.

"Do you... do you want some help?" Alec asked timidly, "I could go through some files with you..."

The thankful smile that Magnus flashed him was enough for the prince to launch himself into his new task with strange enthusiasm and he grabbed a few old and dusty binders. Soon, both men were engrossed in their work and they read in companionable silence, although Alec sometimes addressed the warlock to show him some cryptic documents that he thought might turn out to be interesting. After a solid forty-five minutes, Alec walked up to the door and told Raj to take a break: Magnus and he would be there for a while and he felt bad at the thought of leaving Raj at the door like a dog waiting for his master. Raj was much more than that.

When he came back to Magnus, the warlock was staring at him intently, nearly frowning, and Alec's steady steps faltered.

"W... What?" he asked, trying not to panic, "What's wrong? Did I... Did I do something?"

"What?" Magnus asked back, eyes widening, "No, no, not at all, I just... I was thinking. How are you?"

Confused at the sudden question when they had been over this already, Alec slowly reclaimed his spot on the ground. Was it a trick question?

"I'm fine," he said with hesitation.

Magnus tilted his head and just _stared_.

"How are you, really?" he asked again, "I know we have skirted a bit around the topic but... The fire messages, the threats against your life, your duty, now Max... You have a lot going on."

"I'm fine," Alec repeated with a bit more conviction. "Don't worry about me."

The warlock chuckled as he heard the prince's answer but it didn't sound that amused. If he had to put words on the main emotion Magnus was actually displaying, Alec would say that he seemed a bit sad, although he was trying to hide it.

"I have worried about you for a long time, Alexander," Magnus eventually whispered, nostalgic eyes searching and then locking with the prince's own hazel orbs. "Ever since that night you came to see me. And for thirteen years, I have wondered... Why didn't you come back? You obviously needed a friend."

Alec blinked, silent in his surprise, not knowing what to do with this information: Magnus had thought about him, during the past years, he had been concerned about a kid which he knew nothing about at all, except that he was royalty and gay. The warlock had so many clients, so many things on his mind and yet, he had not forgotten that desperate child who had come and begged him for normality. His thoughts had come back to him, just like Alec had never ceased to replay Magnus' words in his head, especially when it got tough and he needed to remind himself that wanting what he wanted, that liking boys, was all right.

"I..." Alec started, unsure of how to phrase it, "I... I wanted to come back, you know? But it was... It became hard to sneak out of the palace and even though I trust Raj completely, someone would have noticed, eventually. My parents would have known and I... I couldn't risk it."

"I understand..."

"No, Magnus, you don't," Alec interrupted him, suddenly desperate to make the warlock realise just how much, how badly the prince had wished that he could go back to his place, share more stories and reassurance, "I really wanted to come back and knowing that you had welcomed me to was... It was such a relief! I felt like I could finally trust someone with this secret and I knew that I wouldn't be shamed for it, you... When I told you, you comforted me. You didn't tell me _you're too young to know_ or _this is just a phase_ , no, you... You allowed me to be myself, even if only for a few minutes, but it... It changed everything. I wanted to come back, to thank you at least, but... I was thirteen. At that time, my parents started to give me more and more time-consuming responsibilities and duties... Besides, I... Well. Accepting my sexuality was a long process and even though you helped, a lot, it still took some time. I was in denial at first and in a way, going back to your place would have made everything real. And I wasn't ready."

Alec abruptly stopped talking when he realised that he was panting and that his heart was beating too fast. He had said all of that in a rush, barely taking the time to breathe so that he could get it all out, too scared of forgetting something or growing afraid of talking if he thought about his words for too long. He had never told any of this to anyone of course, since Magnus was the only one who knew about his sexuality, and he hadn't realised how much opening himself like this would be frightening.

But the warlock merely smiled at him. He was braver than Alec, because he dared do what the prince wanted but couldn't brace himself to actually do: Magnus reached out to take Alec's hand in his and his gentle fingers gave it a soft, reassuring squeeze. The prince's skin was tingling.

"What about now?" Magnus whispered. "How do you feel about your sexuality?"

Alec hesitated for a grand total of three seconds before he answered, voice firm:

"I have made peace with myself," he said. "I'm gay and I'm fine with it but... I'm... I guess I'm still a bit scared. Because I know I won't be able to date the man I like, I know my family isn't going to like it, I know the Royal Council has traditional views... Downright archaic, if you ask me. I'm scared that I'm not going to have the future I want, with the man I want by my side."

"No one knows?" Magnus asked, his eyes warm and soft as he looked at the prince, without pity but with deep understanding.

"N... No," Alec stammered, "No one. Not even my siblings. I don't want the opinion they have of me to change."

"It should not change a single thing," Magnus said quietly, "but I understand your fear."

"You do?"

Magnus nodded, a melancholic little smile curling up the corners of his lips. His grip on the prince's hand tightened subtly.

"Magic doesn't develop within a lot of people," he said, seemingly out of the blue, but Alec didn't want to interrupt him to ask where he was going with this odd start. "No one knows the source of magic, not even warlocks themselves, though we have looked, and we have always been... misunderstood. When I was born, a long time ago, people used to call us demons' spawns. My father believed that my mother had lain with a demon and that I was its child, not his. He left us when I was a baby, unable to look me in the eye and... When my powers really started to evolve, when I started to use them, however I could... My mother got scared of the villagers' animosity, she grew scared of my powers, of _me_. She took her own life."

Horrified, Alec didn't know what to say, didn't know what to do, thus he just turned his hand in Magnus' so that he could lace their fingers together and press, assuring the warlock that he was there, that he wasn't going anywhere, that he wasn't _scared_. Magnus smiled.

"You see..." he added softly, "I have had people judging me for who I was, what I was, and it hurt. I understand your fear, Alexander, I really do. In the end, the opinion that you have of yourself is the one that matters the most: I never tried to suppress my magic to please other people. I struggled with my nature, yes, and how could I not when it is the reason my mother killed herself? But I'm here, with my magic, and I don't regret it for one second."

Alec could only nod and stare at Magnus, who was so strong, who must have gone through centuries of glares, blames, self-loathing and yet, who still lived his life in the flamboyant way that made him _Magnus_. The prince envied him for that, for his courage, and for a few seconds, he wanted nothing more than kiss the warlock, show him just how much Alec admired him for who he was, magic and all.

Magnus must have misunderstood his silence for awkwardness though, because he chuckled a bit self-consciously and said:

"I ruined the mood, didn't I?"

"No," Alec swore, but the warlock didn't seem to believe him.

"We should clear our heads, both of us, and maybe grab something to eat," Magnus suggested, standing up. "How do you feel about sushi?"

"I... I'm not that hungry," Alec offered, "but you can order and have it delivered here, I don't mind."

"Alexander, please," Magnus huffed, "I'm talking about real sushi, not mere raw fish that pretends to be sushi like we have around here. Tell me, have you ever been to Japan?"

"Uh... Yes," Alec said with hesitation, not sure of where this conversation would lead, "Once, for the Emperor's birthday. Why?"

Magnus smirked when he heard his question and before Alec understood what was really going on, the warlock had opened a portal.

"Care to join me?" he asked, a cheeky smile on his lips as he extended his hand, palm open and beckoning Alec's own.

The prince's eyes widened when he finally understood what the warlock was implying and he glanced at the door of the archives room, hesitating, thinking about Raj who...

"Raj doesn't need to know," Magnus said as if he could read Alec's mind, "We will be quick, I promise. Besides, you are with me. I told you I would protect you and I meant it."

It was all Alec needed to hear in order to grab the warlock's hand, feeling warm all over as they touched, and then he was pulled inside the portal. Stepping through the magical opening felt like nothing he had experienced before; it was like going over the threshold of a house, except that when he arrived on the other side, Alec briefly thought that he was going to throw up. He stumbled a bit, eyes unfocused, but Magnus quickly reached out and helped him find his balance again.

"Take a deep breath," the warlock advised him, "I'm sorry, travels like this take a while to get used to."

"I'm... fine..." Alec panted. "Really."

Magnus smiled and allowed him to take his time to get his bearings; once he felt a bit better, the Crown Prince finally looked around. The archives had vanished and the air he was breathing felt fresh and pure, the total opposite of the dusty atmosphere back at the palace; under a grey sky, Magnus and he were standing near what he thought was a lake, in which he could see huge koi swimming lazily, the tranquil water sometimes rippling as a leaf from the trees surrounding them fell and disturbed the calmness of the pond.

"Where are we?" Alec asked, amazed, as he glanced left and right.

He caught sight of several other people, couples and families, a large group of tourists taking a stroll while burying their noses in travel guides, and the prince suddenly felt freer than he had ever been. Magnus was there and no one else, no bodyguard, no photograph, no reporter, not even Lydia to tell him how to act or what to say; he wasn't there for business but only to enjoy Magnus' company and the wonderful scenery, and no one was staring at him save for the warlock, all smiles and sparkling eyes.

"Welcome to Tokyo, Alexander, and to the Shinjuku Gyoen," he proudly said, spreading his arms to show the beautiful garden behind him, "Come on!"

And Alec, still a bit dazed, could only follow as Magnus took his hand again and led him on the path that meandered through the trees. He kept the same joyous and excited pace as the warlock, who made the perfect tour guide, explaining the history of the garden as well as sharing a few anecdotes of the previous times he had visited the park.

It turned out that Magnus wasn't _that_ hungry and desperate for sushi, because he walked the prince through the gardens first and then out, taking him to small shops where Alec would have wanted to buy everything he was seeing, and they took their time visiting before they bought ice-cream and came back to the park. Settling on the grass nearby the koi pond, they ate in relaxed silence and Alec felt so good that he went as far as to lie down completely, protected from the chill of the wet grass by Magnus' magic.

The prince even managed to quieten the low voice in his head that was wondering whether this qualified as a tryst, or a date maybe, and what he should do about that. He was too aware of their mutual attraction to only think of this as a trip between friends... In the end though, Alec decided to focus on the moment only and not the name they should give their little outing: not only did it not matter much but also, he wasn't sure that he would be able to deal with the implications of a _date_. So, he closed his eyes and revelled in the quietness of the park as well as in Magnus' presence by his side - still a bit worried about one detail though, a tiny package in the pocket of his pants that he meant to offer to the warlock, but he just didn't know when would be the right time.

The prince startled when Magnus took his hand without warning and his eyes flashed open in surprise, only to flutter close again when the warlock smiled and started to share his magic with him, reinforcing the protection spell already flowing through Alec's veins. He... He could get used to that. The closeness, the openness of their minds, the intimacy of the warlock's powers... Alec felt like his body recognised Magnus' magic, welcoming it, hugging it, rolling in the blue waves, happy like a dog who reunited with his master after a long separation.

"We are almost done," Magnus whispered when he let go of Alec's hand slowly, almost like he regretted to let him loose, "I think I will need to strengthen the spell once more and then, you will be all set."

When he heard the words, the prince's heart broke a little, suddenly reminded of his earlier thoughts: would their last session of magic sharing also mean their last encounter? Or would Magnus stay true to his word and wait for Alec to be ready?

"We should go back to Alicante," the warlock said softly, probably unaware of Alec's inner panic at his depressing thoughts, "before Raj dies from a heart-attack when he realises that we're gone."

Alec let out a weak chuckle, which Magnus immediately noticed was not as bright and natural as it usually was when the warlock made him laugh. A bit embarrassed, knowing his cheeks were reddening, the prince stood up and didn't dare to look at the other man in the eyes as he asked his question quietly, almost scared of the answer:

"When... When this is all over," Alec started, focused on his shaky fingers, his voice dying a little bit more with each word he uttered, "Once the spell is complete, once you catch the bad guy... I... I don't know if I'll be able to offer you exactly what you want but... Do you think we could... keep seeing each other?"

There, he had done it. Slowly, the prince glanced up, giving in to the temptation of reading Magnus' expression, of seeing for himself what the warlock thought of that suggestion. All he saw was a gorgeous face full of tenderness and sporting a soft smile that was meant for the prince and him only, and then Magnus' gaze flicked to his lips. _Kiss me_ , Alec thought, pleaded in desperate silence, _kiss me now, while I don't have to be the Crown Prince. Kiss me now, before it is too late_. In this instant, he wanted nothing more than to feel Magnus' lips against his, capturing a first kiss that the prince would willingly give to him. However, after a few seconds of intense staring, the warlock's smile merely grew and he looked up again, leaving Alec longing for the briefest touch of their lips.

"I'm not that easy to get rid of," he answered, cryptic as always, but his impish grin had hope rising in Alec's heart.

When Magnus waved his hands to open a portal that would take them back to the palace of Idris while trying to remain discreet, Alec held back a sigh as he understood that he would have to satisfy himself with that reply and nothing else. However, Magnus soon paused in his gestures and cocked an eyebrow.

"Perhaps we could come back in April," he suggested offhandedly, like a sudden afterthought, "So we could see the cherry blossoms."

April. Months away from that day, yet Magnus already wanted to come back to Tokyo with him. He planned on staying around. He had managed to appease the prince's worst fears with a simple, disarming smile and a suggestion that sounded like a promise. And Alec just didn't know what to do with his hammering heart.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a comment, your feedback is always appreciated and much needed! See you soon~


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your positive feedback on the last chapter, I'm glad you enjoyed Magnus' and Alec's time in Tokyo! I hope you'll like this chapter as well!

  


Alec knew that something was wrong as soon as he entered the kitchen to eat his breakfast with Jace and Izzy: his sister's closed off expression and Jace's nervous twitching tipped him off. He soon realised what the reason of their discomfort was: in front of them, sitting at the breakfast table like this wasn't a rare occurrence, Robert and Maryse were filling five plates with croissants and an insane amount of chocolate-filled pastries. The prince, who had not been really hungry when he woke up, felt his stomach churn a bit more.

"Ah, Alec!" the King exclaimed when he saw his oldest son, merry smile in place, as if they hadn't fought about Max the previous day. "Come in, come in! Apple juice?"

The Crown Prince nodded warily, knowing better than to be fooled by his father's joyful voice and demeanour when everything else in his and Maryse's posture showed that something was up. Something the princes and the princess would most definitely not like much. It couldn't be about Max though... Alec had been kept in the loop thanks to his siblings, who had talked to the doctors at the hospital: their little brother would probably wake up the next day or the day after that and unless there was a problem that no one had seen on the brain scans and other x-rays, the boy would be fine. Tired but alive and well.

They started to eat in tense silence, the siblings waiting anxiously for the bomb to drop, but neither Maryse or Robert seemed to notice and they didn't say anything other than _pass the jam_. Their presence was concerning in itself but the fact that they pretended that it was perfectly normal made it all worse. Alec, sick with worry, ate no more than a bite before he pushed his plate away.

"What's wrong?" he eventually asked, unable to stand this atmosphere any longer.

"Wrong?" Maryse repeated, "Nothing is _wrong_ , Alec."

"Sure," he replied, refraining himself from rolling his eyes just in time, "Then why are you here? You never come down here except when you have bad news. So, what happened?"

Robert and Maryse glanced at each other, perhaps to decide who would be the one to break it to them, and their mother nodded. She made a point of waiting for Alec to put his glass down on the table and to swallow his gulp of juice before she started to talk:

"We received another fire message," she said, voice calm even though her eyes told a different story about her distress, "It's an ultimatum. The warlock threatens to act on their words. Soon."

"And?" Alec asked, brows furrowed, not understanding his parents' obvious concern - much like the first time they had told him about the threats. "I don't know why this seems to bother you so much: isn't that why you made a deal with Magnus? His spell protects me, I have nothing to fear."

The prince would understand his family's worry if he was alone to deal with death threats but since Magnus had taken all the necessary precautions... He wouldn't drop dead so soon. So why the grim faces? Maryse and Robert were looking at him as if they expected him to panic... But he was fine as long as Magnus protected him, right? The warlock had even taken him to Tokyo, where the prince didn't have any bodyguard to keep an eye on him, yet no one had looked at him more than they should have, and everything had been... perfect.

"Magnus is powerful," Alec added to stress his point and also to keep himself from thinking about their date-that-was-not-a-date (or was it?) again, "He won't let anything happen to me."

"Be careful," Izzy pleaded anyway, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand.

Alec would have comforted her, promised her that he would be fine, but his father took the floor before he could even open his mouth.

"You're right, Alec, Magnus Bane has your protection for mission. But your mother and I aren't actually here to talk about that... You are young but... In this... unfortunate situation, we have realised that the continuity of the reign could be easily compromised."

"Compromised?" Jace echoed, glancing at his brother in worry even as he tore his pastry with his fingers, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"It means, Jace," Maryse answered, "that we finally agree with one of the Royal Council's long-time worry. We think that Alec should get married as soon as possible."

Izzy gasped at her mother's words while Jace chocked on his croissant, but Alec... Alec couldn't react. Frozen on his chair, he felt like he was dying inside, falling in a deep well and only seeing the light of the day through a tiny window far, far in the darkness above him, that became smaller and smaller the deeper he fell. Married?

"M... me?" he stammered, "M... Ma... rried?"

"Yes, Alec," his father confirmed, "As soon as possible."

"B... but... You... You never said that I... I... I don't want to!" the prince finally exclaimed, panic rising in his chest.

This couldn't be happening. It was a dream, a nightmare, and he was going to wake up in his bedroom, sweaty and tangled in his sheets. He couldn't... He couldn't marry a girl, he couldn't do what his parents wanted him to do, he wasn't ready for that. Knowing it would happen one day and being told to get married as soon as he could were two vastly different things and Alec didn't think he could survive this. Raising two begging eyes towards his parents, Alec was met with twin stone-faced expressions.

Sensing his distress, Jace abruptly stood up from his chair and stepped forward, stopping between his brother and his parents, shielding Alec from sight.

"Why now?" he asked, clearly upset. "You never said anything about Alec's love life, unlike mine and Izzy's, so why start now?"

Jace raised a point. However, while glad that his brother was standing by his side, Alec's panic was only fuelled by his question: why now? Could it be that their parents had noticed something, something about his behaviour and the lack of attention he paid to girls, or... Or had they seen the way he looked at Magnus?

"We realised that it was time for Alec to provide an heir," Maryse explained calmly, seemingly unfazed by her oldest son's obvious anguish as she stepped aside to look at the Crown Prince. "If something were to happen, anything, even unrelated to that warlock threatening you, we need to show the people that the Lightwood dynasty will stay strong and keep on. An heir, even young, even unborn, would show exactly that. Izzy could be regent until your child is of age."

"That... That's not the only way," Alec blurted out, scrambling for other solutions, "If something happened to me, Izzy could rule Alicante, Max could! I don't... I don't have to get married."

A short silence followed his words and for a second, Alec hoped. He hoped they would see the truth in his statement, hoped they would understand, hoped they would realise what it would mean to condemn him to this fate, how miserable he would be if he... But Robert softly called his name and Alec knew he had lost.

"Alec..." his father whispered. "We don't know yet _how_ Max will come back. His accident could have disastrous consequences, some of which could only show after a few years. Max... Max might not be fit for the throne anymore."

"But I'm still there," Isabelle interfered, coming to stand behind her brother, almost ferocious in her protectiveness, "I could rule, if something were to happen to Alec - but _nothing_ is going to happen, so I'm not even sure why we are having this conversation."

"Exactly," Jace agreed.

"Isabelle, you know you would need a husband to rule as a Queen," Maryse shot back sharply, "And considering your recent scandals and love affairs, you don't qualify as the most suitable spouse. It would be hard to find you a respectable, high-ranking husband."

"Mom!" Jace and Alec exclaimed at the same time, shocked by their mother's harsh words - even the King looked upset.

Isabelle recoiled as if she had been hit, her dark eyes showing how deeply hurt she was, and all desire of putting up a fight seemed to leave her body. She blinked a few times, clearly trying to find something to say, but Maryse's glare was harsh enough to shut her up. Their mother then added, as if nothing was wrong:

"Robert and I have considered a few women, we think..."

"Mom, no, wait," Alec pleaded, not even able to hear the names of the girls she would suggest, and he struggled to find something to say in order to mellow her. "I... I really don't want this. I can't marry a girl I don't know, I can't wed a stranger! You... You and dad married out of love! Why... Why can I not have the same?"

Jace shot him an appreciative glance, clearly impressed with his smart deflection, and Alec crossed his fingers, praying that it would make his parents understand how he felt. Robert's gaze softened but his next words were not as reassuring as Alec had wished.

"That's why we haven't chosen perfect strangers," he said gently, trying to push his son into accepting the idea of a wedding. "In fact, I think you will be quite happy with one of our choices: you two are already friends, so surely it wouldn't be that bad to marry Clarissa Fairchild, would it?"

"W... What?!" Jace sputtered, unable to hold back, "No!"

"What?" Maryse asked, misunderstanding the blond man's reaction, "A few rumours have already made the papers and neither of them actually denied having a relationship, so a wedding would merely confirm the whispers. No one would bat an eye or wonder at the suddenness of it."

"B... But..." Jace stammered, hesitating between remaining quiet on the nature of his relationship with Clary and saving his girlfriend and his brother from an unwanted wedding, until he finally found something to say, "She's not Alec's type at all!"

The Crown Prince could have laughed at his brother's poor excuse but the circumstances didn't allow it. He could have cried instead - he certainly wanted to.

"I'm not sure Advisor Garroway would allow it," Isabelle added quietly, words that weighted a lot more than Jace's attempt, "He's very protective of his stepdaughter and I don't think that he would want to expose Clary to the Lightwood drama."

Albeit grateful for his siblings' help, Alec checked out of the conversation and the bickering, sick with fears and apprehension at the name that would come out of his parents' mouth; he knew them, he knew they had already chosen the proper woman - princess, duchess? - and that giving him a list of names was merely a way to make him think that he actually had a choice and a say in his own future. Nothing would make them reconsider, nothing would help to change their minds, unless... Unless...

It was a long, very long shot, but it was worth a try. He didn't have anything left to lose anyway.

"I can't get married," Alec suddenly said, voice as firm as he could, cutting short all the noise echoing around him and drawing the attention back to him again, "because I'm... I'm seeing someone already."

There was a long, stunned silence, one that Izzy eventually broke with an indignant and offended _what?!_

"You're seeing someone and you didn't tell me?" she shrieked, lightly hitting her brother's shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Robert echoed, looking completely baffled, before he shook his head and added, "It doesn't matter. What matters is... Who is she? Is this love?"

Crap. He had not thought this through, this was a disaster, they would never buy it! Or would they?

"It's... It's still... uh, new," Alec stammered, trying to convey as much innocence as he could through his wide eyes, hoping to look and sound completely sincere in spite of his lie, "I... I didn't want to tell anyone to... to protect our relation."

"Well," Maryse said sharply, "You should tell your secret girlfriend that we expect to meet her. And that you two are getting married, should she be adequate for the role of Queen."

With that, she turned around and strode out of the kitchen, leaving behind herself her three dumbfounded children as well as her husband, who flashed them a weak smile and mumbled _congratulations_ to Alec, before he followed his wife.

Congratulations were not in order, though. Alec's life had turned into utter chaos, with siblings who were delighted to learn that he had a girlfriend - except that he didn't, yet he was supposed to introduce that girl to his parents so that he could wed her. Great. It didn't help that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about Magnus' reaction if he heard that Alec was getting married. Imagining how the warlock's face would fall, the sad but understanding smile he would flash the prince was too much.

"Soooooo," Jace sing-songed, trying to lift everyone's spirits by focusing on what he thought was the fun part of that disastrous discussion, "Secret girlfriend, uh?"

"That's why you asked about sex the other day!" Izzy realised, looking absolutely thrilled, " _Asking for science_ , my ass! Did you do it?"

"Izzy..."

"Tell us!" she begged him, "We tell you everything!"

"You tell me too much," Alec groaned.

However, he knew this wouldn't change a thing: Jace and Izzy wanted to know everything about his fake girlfriend and... Well. He wasn't sure that he would manage to lie to his siblings. But he had to try.

"Not here," he whispered, glancing at their bodyguards and standing up, "I'll tell you in my bedroom."

Alec was well aware that Raj and all the others were sworn to secrecy, that they could not ever reveal anything they had heard or seen inside the palace of Idris, but the prince wasn't seeking their absence because of some misplaced wariness, no. To be honest, he just couldn't bear to lie in front of Raj: of course, his bodyguard knew that he didn't have a girlfriend. He would have known before anyone else did, just like Jace's bodyguard knew about his charge's relationship with Clary. Alec was also convinced that Raj would keep whatever relationship he may have a secret but he didn't feel comfortable with the thought that Raj might know everything that was going on in his so-far nonexistent love - or sex - life.

By the time they reached Alec's suite and left the security detail at the door, Izzy and Jace were buzzing with excitement and genuine happiness for their brother, so much that the Crown Prince actually started to feel bad for fooling them like that. But... Did he really have another choice?

"Shoot," he told them, resigning himself to his painful fate, before he promptly plopped down on his leather couch, the very same couch on which Magnus had shared his magic with him for the first time, when he had felt so hot and...

Good Lord. He really hoped that Magnus would not portal in right in this instant: that would be awkward.

Without surprise, Isabelle was the one to ask the first question, and one of the most embarrassing for Alec at that.

"Did you have sex with your girlfriend?" she asked, stars in her eyes already.

"No."

"Izzy, how can you ask that and not even ask for her name?" Jace said, completely bewildered. "Isn't it the most important?"

Alec's breathing suddenly quickened when he heard his brother's words and he prayed that his siblings wouldn't notice it, wouldn't notice the moment he had to come up with a name and would blurt out the first thing that came to his mind.

"But I wanted to know if my brother had become a man!" Izzy pouted.

"Become?" Jace realised, "Now wait a minute..."

"I _am_ a man, Izzy," Alec pointed out with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah... You know what I mean."

"Wait!" Jace said again, eyes wide, "Alec, are you telling me that you... you never had sex?"

"You're supposed to tell me that it's okay to wait," his brother grumbled, looking down at his hands when his cheeks started to burn, "not make me feel like an alien."

"You're not!" the blond male immediately assured him, although his puzzled expression told another story. "Seriously though, you never..."

"No, Jace, I never had sex," Alec explained, suddenly tired. "Never had the occasion."

"And it's all right," Izzy interfered with a pointed glare at their brother, "You can wait until you feel it's the right person or the right time, you know?"

"Who is she anyway?" Jace asked before Alec could answer, "How long has this been going on?"

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, he couldn't do it. He couldn't look at Jace, at Izzy, and lie to them when they seemed so happy that he had found someone. He had to tell them, he had to admit that it was the only ruse he had found to keep his parents out of his love life for as long as he could; he wouldn't be able to pretend for much longer anyway, not when Maryse and Robert wanted to meet his so-called girlfriend... A problem that he would have to deal with as well, but one step at a time.

"Do we know her?" Jace asked, unaware of Alec's thoughts.

"Is she the princess Meliorn came with last month?" Izzy added, way too excited for her brother, "She looks so beautiful! You and I could go on double dates, that would be so fun!"

"No, I..."

"Or is it Lydia?" Jace interrupted him, "I've always said that you two had some weird chemistry, although I'm not too sure I like the idea of the two of you as a couple, it's... No, something's definitely wrong with that picture..."

Alec let his brother babble on and on, while he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before his eyelids snapped open again and he met his siblings' expectant gazes.

"I..." he started, ashamed to realise that he was shaking, "I don't actually have a girlfriend."

There, now they knew the truth, or at least part of it. But somehow, it didn't feel like it was enough; his secret was right there, on the tip of his tongue, but... What if they didn't accept it? He was suddenly reminded of Magnus, his encouraging smile and his soft voice, as he said... _It should not change a single thing_. Alec trusted his siblings. He knew that they loved him, with or without a girlfriend, so perhaps...

"You... You don't?" Izzy asked softly, confusion dancing in her eyes, "But I thought... You said..."

"I don't have a girlfriend," Alec repeated, his voice so quiet and croaky that he wasn't certain the two others would hear him well enough, "because I... I'm gay?"

As soon as he said it, his emotion making it sound like a question instead of a statement, echoing in the suddenly silent bedroom, Alec felt all his barriers give up and fall down, torn, destroyed, shredded to pieces, and he hung his head low, just in time to see two fat tears crash on the back of his hand. He was crying.

He was crying and he could hear his heart beat painfully fast, blood pumping in his ears and he couldn't help it, he started to sob, his body shuddering with every gasp, panic filling his chest because why weren't they saying anything, had they even heard him, were they judging him, what if they told their parents, what if they weren't fine with it, with _him_ , what if they...

Someone was hugging him. Tightly. Alec recognised Isabelle's perfume. Then, slowly, as if afraid to scare him, strong arms engulfed both the Crown Prince and his sister in a protective embrace that Alec could only associate with Jace and... They were still there. Izzy and Jace, holding onto him, whispering words of comfort and _shh, don't cry, Alec, it's okay, don't cry, you don't have to be afraid_ with two different voices.

"S... Sorry," Alec hiccupped, his face burning with shame as he tried to back away to wipe his eyes with his sleeves. "I'm.. I'm s... sorry..."

"Why?" Izzy asked, her voice gentle, "You have nothing to apologise for."

"I lied to you!" the prince exclaimed between two smaller sobs, "I..."

"Alec, it's all right," Jace whispered somewhere above his hair, "It must have been hard to tell us that... I understand that you didn't earlier."

"You were so brave," Izzy added, gently stroking his cheek, "And you know this doesn't change a thing, right? We love you."

New tears rolled down Alec's face as he returned his siblings' hug, relief crashing over him. He was exhausted but he also felt weirdly happy, because his brother and his sister still loved him, they _believed_ him, they hadn't asked if he was certain, hadn't suggested that he simply hadn't found the right girl yet...

"Thank you," he sniffled, "Thank you so much..."

"It's okay, Alec," Jace said, ruffling his hair.

"I'm sorry I lied," the Crown Prince repeated, gently pushing his siblings away so that he could look at them, "But I just couldn't tell mom and dad, not like that..."

"Of course not," Izzy agreed, "But don't worry, we won't let them sacrifice you to some princess."

"About that..." Jace trailed off, voice filled with curiosity, "You said you had a girlfriend but... Do you actually have a boyfriend, maybe?"

Alec definitely didn't think of Magnus. Because they weren't boyfriends, they weren't even dating. They were... friends who knew they liked each other, friends who had sort of promised to be there the day they decided to do something about their mutual attraction.

"No," Alec answered, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"Meliorn has a friend you might like," Izzy immediately said, "Do you want me to introduce you? He's really nice and he's hot, so..."

"Thanks, Izzy," Alec quickly interrupted her, "But I don't need a matchmaker. I... I've been doing fine on my own for the past few years, so..."

"Years?" Jace repeated, completely dumbfounded. " _Years?!_ Alec, how long have you carried that secret on your own?"

Well, not really on his own... Magnus had known since day one, or almost. But that was a story he wasn't ready to tell his siblings - and he wasn't sure that he wanted to tell them, ever. This remained between the warlock and him, it was the beginning of their story, one he wanted to protect and not share with anyone.

"I've known since I was thirteen," Alec explained on a soft tone, watching his siblings frown as they realised how long he had kept his sexuality a secret.

It didn't take more than that for Izzy and Jace to hug him again and the prince let them, revelling in their presence, their love and their support. It felt so good to have them by his side, so good to know that Magnus was right, that it didn't change anything. He was aware that his parents' reactions would probably be rather different but... At least he had Izzy and Jace and he knew that they would be there for him if his parents weren't. And he had Magnus.

Somehow, that last thought made it all better and Alec finally smiled as he embraced his siblings.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! As always, don't forget to leave a comment to tell me what you thought of this chapter and/or what you think is going to happen next! Until next time~


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your feedback, all the kudos, bookmarks and comments! You are the best :) Enjoy this new chapter!

  


The day's chaotic beginning, the emotions and the tears as he came out to his siblings had exhausted Alec more than he would have liked to admit. He felt drained of energy and his light lunch, a salad with some nuts, goat cheese and honey that Izzy insisted he washed down with a glass of cider ( _let's celebrate your gayness, big bro!_ ), didn't give him back the bounce he needed to carry on through the day and fill the ever-growing pile of paperwork for his charity.

Somehow, he still couldn't believe that he had come out to and been accepted by two of the most important people in his life and thus, he couldn't help but think that maybe something bad would come his way, because it was just not possible that he got this lucky. But then he remembered: the bad thing was there already.

The damned wedding.

When he had sneaked out of the palace thirteen years ago to seek the High Warlock of Alicante's help, Alec had known that getting married was his duty. In spite of the years gone by, he had not forgotten that fact; he had feared the day it would come, tried to push it back for as many years as he could, while still aware that he couldn't avoid it forever. And yet, now... He wanted to fight. He didn't know how, didn't know if this was a fight he could even win, but he would try and do everything he could not to have to go through with this.

The time he had spent in Tokyo with Magnus had given him a taste of what he could have if he decided to follow his heart and that short-lived sensation had left him craving for more. Of course he was scared, because he didn't know where his story with Magnus would lead him to, if there even was a story to have, and he had no idea where to begin. How could he tell the warlock that he felt _right_ when they were together? That he felt happy, even when he was nervous around Magnus, that he felt like his heart would stop beating because of the overwhelming joy that filled him when he was holding Magnus' hand in his?

Aside from that question, how to tell him, another one was bothering Alec: could he even say all of that to Magnus, when he would probably be married by the end of the month? He didn't want to lead him on, he couldn't do that to him. Nor could he get married and keep Magnus as a dirty secret on the side, the warlock deserved better. Alec's imaginary girlfriend would perhaps help him to delay the inevitable, he could fake a breakup that shattered his heart and kept his parents from interfering in his life for a little while, but... Eventually, they would come back with this ridiculous idea of marrying him to some foreign princess.

Deep down though, Alec knew that he would never be able to give up on Magnus; he couldn't do that to the warlock, nor to his own heart.

Abandoning his paperwork with a dejected sigh, Alec slowly walked out of his study and headed for Lydia's office; maybe she knew who Maryse and Robert wanted him to wed and if she agreed to tell him, perhaps he could start thinking of a way to reject that girl - who probably didn't want to be involved in a Lightwood wedding any more than he did. His parents might not give him much of a choice but that didn't mean that he would make it an easy business to carry out.

On this day, the mood in Lydia's office was set by a playlist of panpipes, bird sounds and waterfalls, the sort of background music that reminded Alec of the long hikes he would go onto with his parents when he was a kid, when it was just him and Izzy, four- and six-year-old children, when Maryse and Robert could still offer them a somewhat normal life. The year after that though, grandpa Lightwood had passed and Robert had stepped in as King, consequently making Alec the Crown Prince and cutting short the normality that a boy his age could have wished for.

"Hey, Alec," Lydia smiled at him when he entered her office, after announcing his presence with a light rasp on the door, "Is everything okay? You look... tired?"

"I am," the prince answered easily with a shrug, although he didn't explain the reason of his fatigue to her.

Maybe one day he would come out to her as well, albeit not today; telling Izzy and Jace had been a relief but he wasn't fully prepared to let everyone know, not even Lydia who was close to him and knew better than to reveal the royal family's secrets.

"Max?" the blonde woman guessed, her face suddenly sad. "Alec, you do realise that this isn't your fault, right? If you hadn't called the High Warlock, it could have been way, way worse."

"I know," Alec answered softly, looking down at his shoes. "I know. But still..."

The prince trailed off, not too eager to go into the details of how he felt in regards to Max's accident: it would be time to attempt to forgive himself once his brother was back, once the doctors confirmed that he would be fine. Lydia was only half-right though: while Max's health did indeed concern him, Alec was also still a bit shocked by the reality of his unexpected coming-out. Not to mention the possibility of a future wedding, which was the actual reason he had come down to Lydia's office.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" he said, changing the topic.

"Of course," the press agent answered with a nod and a smile, not commenting onto his obvious discomfort at the evocation of the accident. "What's bothering you?"

"My parents," Alec told her truthfully, eliciting a snort.

"Obviously. Do you know that they've been pestering me to reveal anything I could about your charity for the past few days? Not that I could tell them the slightest thing, I know literally _nothing_ about it... But it seems that the lack of information is making them nervous."

"Good," the prince answered with a slight smirk, "I don't want them to know anyway, not yet. I'm not here for that though, but... Have they... Have they talked to you about my wedding?"

The reaction was instantaneous: Lydia's eyes widened and she stared at him in stunned silence, gaping, before she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Excuse me? _Your wedding?_ " she repeated, just this close to shriek, and she looked at him as if he had suddenly grown a second head, "Your wedding?! When did you decide that getting married would be a good idea?"

"So... I take it that you didn't know about that?" Alec asked softly, feeling a bit disappointed.

He was partly relieved to learn that Lydia had been kept in the dark as well as he had, for he would not have taken kindly to her knowing but not warning him: she might work for him and his family but Lydia was a friend as well. But Alec was also disheartened, since Lydia could not help him in this matter like he had hoped.

"I didn't!" Lydia exclaimed. "Did your parents actually listen to the Council? Please, tell me this wasn't your own decision."

"Of course not," Alec answered, repressing a shudder. "They just went behind my back and decided that I had to get married... Something about the stability of the dynasty."

"That sounds so archaic..." Lydia said, looking sorry for the prince, "As if you couldn't rule without a wife... I mean, kudos to you if you want to get married and have a family, nothing's wrong with that but... You're young, you have time! It's useless to rush into this now, especially with a woman I assume your parents will choose for you. I know you and I know you are a romantic at heart, this will never work."

"You know me too well, actually... Marry me?" Alec joked, feigning to get down on one knee, but his voice sounded a bit too sad and resigned for it to be funny.

"Shut up," the blonde enjoined him with a smile, "You're not marrying anyone if you don't want to."

"I actually might," Alec groaned, "I've known that it would happen since forever. I just don't see how to get out of it now..."

Well, there was a way, but Alec did not want to go down that road now: coming out to his siblings was one thing but coming out to his parents? Magnus had once told him that he didn't have to come out if he didn't feel safe and... Even with Izzy's and Jace's support, he wasn't certain that trusting other people with his secret would turn out that well. Royalty often had very traditional views, the arranged wedding planned by his parents being one more proof of that, and surely a gay heir would be bad press for the dynasty. Alec had never heard of any man or woman in other royal families who was openly gay - or at least, not fully heterosexual - and there was certainly a good reason for that.

Royal families were just like any other family, only with power and glory, so there had to be at least one gay prince other than him, right? But that man, if he existed, had never come out, maybe because like Alec, he was too scared to. What if Alec was the first, though? Would it perhaps encourage others to come out and live the way they wanted? He wasn't sure that he could be brave enough to take that monstrous step.

"I'm so sorry, Alec," Lydia said softly, "I wish I could help you but... I'm not sure that I can. But I'll try to find out who your parents want to set you up with, that would be a start."

"Yeah," the Crown Prince answered, his weak voice conveying his dismay as much as the subdued shine of his eyes did. "Thanks, Lydia."

The blonde pursed her lips as she half-frowned, half-smiled in sympathy, clearly upset by the prince's own distress. Strangely, seeing her crestfallen face helped to appease him, just a little: Lydia stood in his corner as well as Izzy and Jace and in this moment, knowing that he wasn't completely alone to face Maryse and Robert was the greatest comfort he could have asked for.

"You know what else I could do?" Lydia asked all of a sudden, perking up, "Remember that rumour about you and Clary? I could tip off a few newspapers' editors and be the anonymous source of at least ten different rumours about your love life. Your parents will go crazy and..."

"... They'll have to wait before a wedding is announced," Alec completed with a grin, "so that it doesn't look like we're trying to cover a scandal of some sort. Lydia, this could work!"

His friend nodded with a smile, turning towards her laptop and opening a blog that Alec was quite familiar with, since it was the best place on the Internet to get gossips from - not that he visited that website himself but Izzy did, and she had told him enough about it that he could recognise the header and the name at first glance.

"Twitter is going to crash," Lydia warned him with a smile as she started to type on her keyboard faster than Alec could follow. "Don't worry though, I won't say anything that could permanently damage your reputation. Besides, people won't believe most of these rumours, which doesn't mean that they won't talk about them. Today you are engaged to an actress, tomorrow you're the father of her seven kids."

Alec let out a disbelieving chuckle, suddenly feeling lighter, and he was fairly certain that if he passed nearby his parents after walking out of this office, he would actually burst out laughing. Contrarily to what he had thought after that disastrous morning in the kitchen, perhaps this day would turn out better than he had foreseen it.

"Thank you," Alec repeated, truly grateful for Lydia's help, "Really, I don't know what I would do without you."

"I'm sure you would be fine," she answered with a laugh, "Jace, though... I don't know if he would survive. But don't worry, I'm not planning on going anywhere; I love my job, even with your bunch of stubborn and dramatic Lightwoods. No go, I have a few more rumours to start."

The glint in her eyes was a little frightening but Alec nodded anyway, before he left the office and met up with Raj in the hallway; the Crown Prince didn't miss the look of surprise that flashed across the bodyguard's features, who seemed a bit thrown off by his charge's sudden good mood.

Resisting the urge to laugh, Alec skipped in the corridor and headed towards his suite, confused bodyguard in tow. The prince entered his chambers with a sigh of contentment, glad that he would finally be able to relax a little: he felt like he deserved a nap after all the emotions he had gone through so far in the day. Only twenty minutes, he thought, then he would feel less tired and would go back to his paperwork - not the most exciting idea ever but his charity wouldn't open itself if he didn't help a little.

However, his plans changed as soon as he stepped inside his suite: he jumped in sudden fright when he noticed that someone was there already, waiting for him, until he realised that it was none other than Magnus, sitting on his couch like he belonged - and he _did_ , Alec's mind whispered - reading a book that he had taken out of the prince's bookshelves.

"We need to stop meeting like this," Alec grumbled, one hand on his chest as if the mere touch would calm his hammering heart - beating so fast because of the short-lived fear or because of the warlock's presence, he was not sure.

"I rather enjoy our unexpected meetings," Magnus answered with a smile, snapping his book shut, "Your eyes widen in an utterly beautiful way and when you see that it's me, when you relax, it's... endearing, to say the least."

A bit taken aback by the sincerity of the words, Alec could only blink and fight a blush before he even thought of replying.

"Thank you?" he drawled hesitantly, earning one of Magnus' wonderful laughs as a reward.

"You're welcome, darling," the warlock said, winking.

Alec should be used to Magnus' flirting by now, he had been on the receiving end of it quite regularly for the past few days, yet he still felt his heart skip a beat when the other man stood up and came close to him, so close that he could easily reach out and put his hands on the prince's shoulders.

"You are awfully tense," Magnus pointed out with furrowed brows as he gently rubbed Alec's muscles. "Hard day? Do you need a massage, maybe? I'd be happy to give you one."

"N... No, th... thanks," Alec stammered, once again taken by surprise. "I'm good."

To say the truth, he was dying to feel Magnus' hands all over his shoulders and back but he wasn't certain that he would survive the sensation. He would have loved to get that massage though, he would have died a happy man.

Giving a small, regretful sigh, Alec led his brain onto more important topics than his secret desires. After all, Magnus had asked about his day.

"I came out to Jace and Izzy," he said in a breath, lifting his head to look at the warlock, and he smiled.

"Judging by your handsome _and_ merry face, I take it everything went well?" Magnus guessed, grinning at the Crown Prince. "Fantastic! I'm so proud of you, Alexander!"

"Thank you," the young man said softly, "You know, I don't think I could have done it without you..."

"Give yourself a little credit," Magnus immediately scolded him, although on a fond tone, "You were the brave one in this. Tell me, how did you... decide to tell them? Just like that?"

Alec fidgeted, growing a bit uncomfortable with the direction their conversation had taken: if he could avoid it, he would never burden Magnus with the announcement of a future wedding but... He had to know. Alec couldn't just lie to him, that wouldn't be fair. If he was serious about taking him to Tokyo again one day, the warlock had to know what he was getting into.

"I won't give you the details now," Alec started, ruffling his hair in discomfort as he looked at everything but Magnus, "but my parents want me to get married. I told them I was seeing someone to stall but I just couldn't lie to Izzy and Jace about having a girlfriend. So I came out."

Magnus remained silent for a short while, apparently finding it a bit difficult to say anything regarding the wedding the King and the Queen wanted to set up for their son.

"I see..." the warlock eventually whispered, sounding more hesitant and lost than Alec had ever heard him, "So, you're getting married."

"Not if I can help it," Alec immediately answered, hoping to reassure Magnus that he wasn't going anywhere near an altar unless tied up and knocked unconscious, and he tried to lighten the mood, "Isn't there a spell to protect me from an unwanted marriage?"

"Sadly, my magic can't help you with that," the warlock explained with a dejected face, that quickly morphed into a smirk. "But I'm ready to elope with you whenever."

He should have seen it coming. Alec let out a strangled laugh when he heard Magnus' words, both happy and disbelieving, not sure whether the warlock was serious or merely joking for the prince's sake.

"Is that why you're here?" Alec asked tentatively, hoping to manage the same ambiguity in his next sentence, "To take me on your white stallion and run away with me? Or are you here to complete the protection spell?"

"I wish it was the former," Magnus answered in what the prince assumed was complete honesty. "Yet, I'm merely here to honour my deal with your parents - as well as to enjoy your delightful company."

Alec couldn't help it: he blushed heavily and immediately averted his gaze from Magnus' eyes. Every single word that came out of the warlock's mouth turned him into a flustered mess, even those that seemed to imply that Magnus was only there in order to do his duty, but when he followed those with a genuine compliment... How was Alec supposed to resist the warlock? He could _not_.

"R... Right," he stammered, doing his best to hide his feelings by sitting down abruptly on the arm of the couch, right on the edge, one jumpy leg on each side. "So... Will this be the last time you reinforce the spell?"

"Exactly," Magnus answered, "which, by the way, doesn't mean that you're seeing the last of me as we speak. I told you so, didn't I?"

How the warlock had guessed that it was exactly what Alec was afraid of, the prince didn't know; however, he was grateful for the comfort Magnus had offered him in a simple sentence. He was a little less grateful when the warlock decided that it would be a great idea to sink to his knees in order to grab Alec's hands and perform his magic on him, raising two - falsely -innocent eyes. That man would be the death of him.

As tendrils of the familiar blue magic circled their joined hands and started to crawl up Alec's arms, the prince's worries and tiredness slowly vanished, all of his attention now focused on Magnus.

Magnus and his shining eyes, his small, adorable frown of concentration and his warm fingers. Magnus, who knew nearly everything there was to know about him, who supported him, who liked him. Magnus, whom Alec was slowly but steadily falling for. Magnus, whom he didn't want to give up on, no matter what his parents would throw in his way.

Alec was tired of fighting against himself, against his own heart. So, for once in his life, he stopped struggling with his desires.

Slowly, oh so very slowly, Alec leaned in, taking his time so that Magnus could step back if he wanted to; when he didn't, when his eyes widened with hope instead, the prince closed the distance between them and kissed those lips that he had dreamed to taste. He heard Magnus' sharp intake of breath and felt his hands squeeze his own with so much more strength that it became nearly painful, but Alec didn't even think of complaining.

Kissing Magnus was all he could focus on, nothing else mattered. This... This was everything Alec had ever wanted, although he had fought against it for long years, this was everything he had hungered for. Kissing Magnus felt... natural. There was no firework exploding behind his closed eyelids and yet, this felt _right_ , so right, like the last, long lost piece of a puzzle finally found, the key to unlock both their hearts.

The prince was trembling, tears threatening to spill as he harvested a pure, soft sound of happiness from Magnus' lips, and he had to slow down, back away just a little to catch his breath, because he was just this close to collapse under the assault of emotions. However, Magnus let out a weak but desperate groan of disagreement.

He suddenly surged forward, chasing Alec's mouth even as he lifted his hands to cup his face, and his enthusiasm actually threw the prince off balance: the next second, he was falling off the couch, taking Magnus down with him, and Alec landed on his back, underneath the warlock.

"Ouch!" he yelped in surprise, barely noticing the blue sparks that cushioned his fall, but he couldn't say anything else.

A hurried, craving mouth claimed his own again and Alec kissed Magnus back with all the energy he could find in himself, relishing the warm touch of the warlock's hands gently holding and angling his face so that he could kiss him just like he wanted, revelling into the sensation of his own fingertips skimming over Magnus' black silk shirt, flirting with the edge of it without ever daring to slip under. Having Magnus on top of him, being under the warlock's strong body and right between his legs was overwhelming, and Alec didn't want to move, ever, because...

The door suddenly flew open and slammed into the wall with a crash as Raj stormed inside, gun aimed in front of him, expression murderous. It quickly turned into confusion when he caught sight of the two men lying on top of each other, lips swollen and red, then his eyes widened as he understood the scene he had stumbled upon.

"Holy..." the bodyguard started, before his voice died a little in his throat, "I, uh... I didn't see anything."

Frozen with panic, Alec could only watch as Raj hurried outside and closed the door, leaving him and Magnus alone again. The happy, intimate mood had changed though and Alec could only think _Raj knows_.

"Fuck," he groaned, sitting back up, pushing Magnus away as gently as he could while in the middle of freaking out, "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Alexander..." the warlock started, hesitation and pain mixing in his eyes, "Hey..."

"Don't... Don't say anything, please," Alec interrupted him with a small, brittle voice, "I... I need to talk to him. I... Don't move. Please. I'll be right back. I want... I want this, _us_. You have to know that. I'm not... I'm not telling you to back off, okay?"

"Okay," Magnus echoed, looking a bit more relaxed after hearing the prince's words. "Go, then. I'll wait right here."

Alec nodded, glancing hesitantly from the door to the warlock, still a bit worried that he would find the room empty once he came back; he couldn't waste his time any longer though, what if Raj had already run away? So, Alec quickly pecked Magnus' lips, in a sudden move that surprised even himself, and then he bolted.

The prince didn't have to go far and his panic nearly vanished completely as soon as he stepped out of his chambers: Raj was standing right in front of the door, looking incredibly embarrassed and red. Yet nothing in his posture showed that he wanted to run screaming toward the King and the Queen to tell them that he had caught the Crown Prince kissing a man. This had to be a good sign, right?

"Raj..."

"I'm so sorry," the bodyguard blurted out before the prince could say anything else, "I didn't mean to intrude but I heard you scream and I thought..."

"O... Oh," Alec stammered, suddenly blushing, "We... Ahem, _I_ fell. Sorry for worrying you."

Raj nodded, accepting his charge's apology, but he was fidgeting and Alec knew that there was something bothering him, something he didn't dare say or ask, and the prince felt his stomach constrict. That was it. Raj wouldn't have the same kind reaction as his siblings and he would put an end to twenty years of loyalty, he...

"May I ask a question, Your Highness?" Raj asked, suddenly all formal again, but he was still red in the face.

It was almost as if he thought that his facade of professionalism would help him utter out the question he was dreading to ask.

"You may..." Alec answered softly, bracing himself for whatever was going to come - but he didn't expect the actual question.

"Does he make you happy?"

The prince remained quiet for an instant, flabbergasted, fumbling for words to answer this strange question, one that he had not seen coming. Thankfully for him, Raj kept talking without waiting for Alec to gather and voice his thoughts.

"I mean..." the bodyguard quickly added, "This is none of my business, I don't know if you two are in a relationship nor how long it has been, but I just... You deserve happiness and I know the wedding your parents suggested isn't your definition for that. But I also know that Magnus Bane is a good man, so... I hope he makes you happy. And I apologise if I was out of line by telling you all this."

Heart suddenly filled with affection for his loyal Raj, Alec slowly shook his head, a watery smile gracing his lips.

"You weren't out of line," he assured him, "and yes, Magnus does make me happy."

"Good," Raj grumbled, in a way that clearly said _warlock or not, I'm going to hurt him if he hurts you_. 

"Thank you for understanding," Alec quietly said, "And I hate to ask but... Can I count on your discretion?"

"Always, Your Highness."

"Good," the prince repeated his bodyguard's earlier words with a bright smile of relief. "Thank you so much, you have no idea... No idea what this means to me."

Raj nodded, looking a bit awkward due to this heartfelt conversation with his prince, and Alec hid a smile.

"You can go, take a break" the young man told him, trying not to blush as he thought his next words over, "I'm going to stay with Magnus for a while, I don't think I'll need more protection than that."

"You are in very capable hands indeed," Raj agreed solemnly, before the double-entendre sank in - and he hurried away, muttering an apology under his breath.

Biting back a laugh, Alec quickly turned around to go back to Magnus, who was actually waiting for him right behind the door. His too-innocent expression didn't fool Alec.

"Eavesdropping?" he asked with a smile.

"I make you happy?" Magnus shot back with a grin that ate half his face and made the prince blush.

"Y... Yeah," Alec stammered, "I mean, you... You're so... You make me feel good, and you make me smile, and I like it when we are together and I... I really should stop talking."

Magnus chuckled, shaking his head as his grin faded and became a warm, fond smile; he took Alec's hand and pulled him towards the couch, on which they sat side by side.

"You know what made me really happy too?" Magnus asked him, not waiting for a reply from the prince before he answered his own question, "When you kissed me."

"I... I should probably do it again, then?" Alec enquired on a low, shy tone that contrasted with the impatience in his shining eyes.

The warlock only had the time to nod before Alec's lips were on his again, hesitant in their discovery of Magnus' mouth but also eager to please, warm and soft and so, so good.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Don't forget to tell me what you thought about this chapter :) Until next time!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all the positive and supportive comments you left on the previous chapter, so much love was overwhelming! <3 I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter as well!

  


Life was beautiful. Alec's life was beautiful. Forgotten, the stupid wedding, the threats hanging over him, the stubbornness of his parents and everything else that could put a crease of worry between his brows: life was beautiful, because the doctors had announced with huge smiles that Max would slowly wake up today and that his family would be allowed to see him later, maybe in the evening.

The fact that the Crown Prince didn't know yet whether or not Robert and Maryse would agree to let him visit on this day wasn't even bothering him that much: if they didn't, Alec would ask Magnus to open a portal straight into the hospital.

Alec fought back a grin as his thoughts strayed to Magnus: the warlock was as responsible for his good mood as Max's imminent return and the prince couldn't help but keep track of the time, counting the hours that had yet to pass until he could see Magnus again. When he had left the previous night, after making out for a long, delicious while, the warlock had promised to take him out tonight, winking as he said something along the lines of _Lisbon is still warm at this time of the year_.

He was so weak, the prince realised when a smile finally split his face in two, and he couldn't bring himself to hide it again. He was happy, truly happy, for what felt like the first time in his life, so he wasn't going to repress that fantastic feeling of elation.

"Your Highness?" Raj whispered by his side, sounding a little amused even as he kept walking next to his charge in the long hallway.

"Mmmh?"

"I think it is my duty to remind you that you should look heartbroken. Not so clearly in love."

Alec snorted at that but tried to school his facial expression into one of sadness anyway. Of course Raj was right, they were headed for a meeting with his parents, after all. The King, the Queen and the whole Royal Council were waiting for them - well, mostly for Alec - in the Gothic Salon, in order to discuss the many rumours that had so suddenly and mysteriously appeared in the newspapers since the past afternoon. They didn't know it yet but the Crown Prince would also make a show of crying his heart out because his _girlfriend_ had left him when she had heard that he was planning on running away to Belgium with the daughter of a local baker, so that they could sell waffles together - Magnus' idea, who had playfully named this meeting mission _Bye-bye Wedding_.

Wait.

Did Raj say _in love_? He had, Alec realised, and he also became painfully aware that he wouldn't know what to say, if his bodyguard asked for an answer. Was he in love? Was... Magnus...? They hadn't talked about it the previous day, should they have? They had kissed and kissed and kissed again, oblivious to anything other than the perfect slide of their mouths together and their erratic heartbeats. Alec didn't know what it truly meant for Magnus but he was certain that neither of them considered this as a one-time event: they liked each other, that much was obvious. And... Alec knew that, if given the chance, he would never go back to a life in which Magnus was not there.

The prince had never fallen in love before... He had thought, when he was younger, that what he felt for Jace was love but in truth, that was brotherly affection, brotherly love, feelings that had nearly nothing in common with the feelings he had for Magnus. So, he might never have felt this way for anyone before but... He was more than okay with Magnus being his first love.

He wondered though, he wondered what would happen next... Even if his parents forgot this stupid idea of marrying him to some princess he had never seen, could Alec come out and reveal his blooming relationship with Magnus? He didn't know what would pose more problems to Robert and Maryse: the fact that their oldest son and heir liked men or that his significant other was a warlock? Even though Magnus worked for them and had been useful to the Lightwood dynasty for centuries, the prince was certain that his parents wouldn't be thrilled. They didn't even wholly trust Magnus, so... All of those elements mixed together would probably provoke a heart-attack. As much as his relationship with his parents could get difficult and rocky, Alec cared about them and he didn't want to disappoint them. But... That didn't mean that _they_ were allowed to disappoint him. Which they would do, if they rejected their own son because of his sexuality.

To say that he felt lost was an understatement but thankfully, some things he didn't doubt, at all: his siblings' support and Raj's loyalty, for starters, not to mention Magnus. The warlock had told him to proceed step by step and not to worry too much about the future, that they would do what was necessary in due time. Something that was hard to do for Alec, who was so used to imagine every possible outcome to his actions - but he could and would try.

Oh God, he was smiling again, he realised when he and Raj turned into another hallway, before Alec suddenly stopped at the unusual sight that welcomed him. In the middle of the path, looking extremely bored and snobbish, sat a ginger cat whose eyes were firmly set onto the two men. Alec melted.

"Hey you," he cooed softly, unable to resist, crouching down to get a better look at the feline, sitting a few feet away from him still. "How did you end up here? Raj, look, isn't it cute?"

"I'm a dog person," the grump bodyguard mumbled, "I'm allergic to ca..."

Raj never finished his sentence. Instead, a loud detonation resounded, drowning the sound of his voice, and an invisible force threw the bodyguard into the air until he nearly hit the high ceiling. Alec's eyes widened in horror when the older man's body came crashing down, collapsing on the floor with a sickening _crack_.

"Raj!" Alec shouted, ready to rush at his side, only to find out that his feet seemed to be rooted on their spot.

Twisting his body, the prince looked around, feeling a cold fear seep in his limbs as he frantically searched for the threat, the person responsible for this magical attack. This couldn't be anything else, what with the way Raj had been taken down... But there was no one in this damned hallway, no one but a orange cat that... that now glowed a fiery red, radiating power. Alec saw the fireball come at him and he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the shock, the pain, but he didn't feel it ram into him, didn't feel every bone in his body shatter. He was pushed backwards with the rush of air though and the prince fell down with a yelp, but it didn't hurt when he smashed into the ground.

The reason why became clear as soon as Alec opened his eyes: all around him danced a blue force field, a shield made of protective and loving energy that shifted and spiralled around him, holding at bay the destructive blasts that kept coming at him. Heart beating faster than ever, Alec prayed that Magnus' barrier would remain intact, that the energy he had poured into making sure that the prince stayed safe would be enough.

But what if that warlock, hiding behind the appearance of a cat, was stronger, more powerful than Magnus? He did not want to believe that it was possible but he had also never seen Magnus in battle and he had absolutely no idea how - if - he could hold his own.

Alec was panicking, he knew it. His breath had become shorter and his throat was dry and tight, making it hard and painful to take oxygen in, he was panting and shaking, crying out with fear every time a huge fireball hit his shield, each time with more strength than before. The shield was going to collapse, it couldn't stay up any longer, could it? His parents were right, the threats were real and he had ignored them, he had thought that he would be fine without protection and... If he hadn't accepted Magnus' help, he would be dead already. But he was going to die anyway, the shield would eventually give up under the constant assault and...

A small spark of blue suddenly detached itself from the larger part of the field and floated towards Alec, slipping into his hand. Puzzled, the prince startled as it emanated warmth and comfort, so reminiscent of Magnus that it felt like the warlock was standing beside him and holding him into his arms. Alec closed his eyes and surrendered. There were worse ways to die, after all.

Just as suddenly as the first fireball had come, the attack ceased and the shield stopped shaking with every blow that it deflected. Alec heard a scream, shrill and horrified, that compelled him to hesitantly open his eyes again... And his heart went crazy.

The magical prints of a portal were fading in front of his bubble of protection and standing tall, every fibre in his body screaming cold fury and danger, Magnus was curling his fingers and twisting his hands in precise gestures, until a ball of raw energy flew straight out of his hands and toward the cat.

Except that the cat was not a cat anymore and Alec gasped when he realised that he knew the person that the feline had morphed into. The children's preceptor, Max's beloved piano teacher, the one person Maryse and Robert had believed they could trust with the education of their children...

Iris Rouse.

She was... She was a warlock? But... Alec didn't understand. It couldn't be. She had never said a thing, never even hinted that she possessed such powers, she... She wanted Alec dead. She had sent out the threats, hiding in plain sight, right under their noses. And now, she was fighting Magnus, or at least trying to, but Magnus' blows looked far more powerful than even her most violent fireballs and soon, she was pushed backwards, one step after another, until Magnus unleashed all his rage and reached out with both his hands, sending Iris waltzing into a wall.

When she toppled down, she lay unmoving, face against the floor, but Magnus wasn't willing to take any chance: he snapped his fingers and suddenly, heavy handcuffs were tying Iris' wrists together. Judging by the thin but visible markings on them, Alec assumed that they would block her magic for as long as they needed it that way.

The prince's attention shifted to Magnus, who was striding toward him with clear concern marring his face, and Alec's poor attempt at smiling only deepened the lines of worry around his eyes. Carefully, Magnus knelt in front of him and raised his hands to dismantle the shield, his magic lazily fading into small sparks that eventually vanished.

"Are you all right?" the warlock asked softly, sounding almost scared to hear Alec's answer.

Unable to find his voice yet, the prince only offered him a shaky nod and he didn't think before he buried his head into Magnus' chest and stayed there, his body shivering with the aftermath of shock. Alec knew that it was only a matter of time before people found them, alerted by the detonations and shouts, but he needed this second of proximity with Magnus before he focused on anything else.

Except that he was quickly reminded of the second victim in this unexpected attack.

"Raj..." Alec croaked out, afraid to look behind himself and see his bodyguard in the same condition as Max when he had found him three days prior.

Magnus' regret to detach himself from his prince was palpable but he did anyway, walking toward Raj and examining his unconscious body with the same gentleness he had shown Max. Alec felt like a coward for closing his eyes then, for not daring to turn around and face the result of Magnus' scanning. Alec would never forgive himself if Raj...

"He's alive. Tough one, that Raj..." the warlock eventually said, his voice crashing onto the prince like a strong wave of relief, before Magnus' tone took an harder edge, "But I don't think that she actually wanted to hurt him, more like incapacitate him so that she could focus on you... Otherwise, your guardian angel would never have ended up with broken ribs and wrists only... And a punctured lung."

"That's all?" Alec asked, incredulous, although he didn't wish any more pain to the poor Raj.

"Yes," Magnus confirmed, "Hence my suspicion that Iris didn't want to kill him. Fortunately for Raj, those injuries I can heal."

Alec remained silent as Magnus worked on restoring the bodyguard's bones. He was still quivering a bit but he was getting better with each second that passed. His mind threatened to go back to the emotions he had felt before though, alone behind his shield of blue magic, and he struggled not to drown in the fear that had invaded him back then. He had to stay focused.

"You know her?" he eventually asked Magnus, since it hadn't escaped his attention that he had said Iris' name. "You knew she was a warlock?"

"I know most warlocks alive," Magnus answered without glancing away from Raj. "Iris disappeared years ago though..."

"She works here," Alec whispered. "She taught us, Izzy, Jace and I... She was teaching Max, too."

"I didn't know that," Magnus said pensively. "But I guess it makes sense... When I tried to track the warlock who had sent you those threats, I told you the signal had been blocked. If Iris worked here, she had to know about my connection to your parents: she knew they would call me, so she hid herself. It usually requires to be near the water though..."

Magnus' brows were furrowed but Alec's rose as he realised how Iris had been able to keep her presence a secret from the High Warlock himself.

"There is a pond, nearby the study where she teaches Max," he revealed. "She could have used that to throw you off her tracks, right?"

"Exactly," Magnus answered, and now he looked angry again. "I can't believe she was here, just right here!"

The warlock stepped away from Raj then, his features slowly relaxing again as he magically lifted the man above the ground, just like he had Max.

"He'll need rest," Magnus explained, "Lots of it. And don't worry about replacing him, I will. You're stuck with me, Alexander."

"I don't mind," Alec answered distractedly, his gaze travelling toward the still form of Iris, and he missed the pleased smile that illuminated Magnus' face for a few seconds. "How did you know that I was in trouble?"

"The magic I protected you with bonds us," the warlock explained, slipping one of his hands in Alec's, feeling it shake lightly, "I felt the pull within myself when my magic reacted to the attack and I... I came as soon as I could."

"Thank you..." the prince whispered, "I... I trusted your magic but for a moment, I thought... I was scared that..."

"That it wouldn't be enough?" Magnus suggested when it became clear that Alec couldn't find the proper words to describe his feelings without hurting the warlock's pride. "That's understandable. You had never faced such an attack before - and I hope this will never happen again - and in such a situation, I would have been surprised if you hadn't been at least a tiny bit scared. But, you need to remember... I would never let anything happen to you."

Alec nodded, squeezing Magnus' hand to draw comfort from it just like his magic had appeased him before. Deep down, even before the warlock confirmed it, the prince had known that Magnus would protect him from everything. But this raised another point... Who would protect Magnus himself? If anything had happened to him during his fight with Iris, if he had been hurt, or worse, what could Alec have done? He didn't want to put Magnus in danger for his own sake...

The Crown Prince didn't have the leisure of thinking about that any longer: the warlock slowly dropped his hand when an army of bodyguards irrupted into the hallway, surrounding them in a matter of seconds. A few took care of supporting Raj, enabling Magnus to release his tight hold onto his magic and slump a little in mixed relief and fatigue, while others checked on Alec.

"What is Iris doing here?" Hodge asked, clearly confused, when he saw the red-haired woman's body on the floor. "Is she hurt as well?"

"Only unconscious, I made sure of that," Magnus supplied with a scoff, scorn evident in his voice, "She's the warlock who was targeting Alexander."

In his surprise, Hodge didn't even think of reminding Magnus that he was supposed to call Alec by his official title. For a fleeting second, the prince wondered what would the blond man's reaction be if he knew that the warlock had broken at least half the rules of the royal protocol by kissing Alec breathless.

He couldn't think of that now though, no matter how more pleasant it would be to go back to his bedroom and kiss Magnus again, lose himself into his embrace to stay there forever. They had another business to tend to, and a crowd of bodyguards who were both confused and worried - both for Alec and their colleague, he realised: they had abruptly lost contact with Raj and had assumed the worst. Someone had to take command and bring back some sort of order in order to soothe the tension.

They nodded and complied, leaving in the other direction while Alec gestured to a few others to put Iris back on her feet; then, he turned to Magnus.

"I was on my way to a meeting with the Council," he said softly, "For the wedding. Or lack thereof, hopefully. But I think there are more pressing matters at hand now... Will you come with me? Help with Iris?"

"Do you really think that you needed to ask?" Magnus shot back. "Lead the way, _Your Highness_."

Never had Alec heard his title said on such a reverent and sultry tone at the same time, an intonation that gave him very inappropriate ideas. He quickly took the lead of their group and headed for the Gothic Salon, refraining himself from kissing Magnus right there and then.

When they reached their destination, Alec didn't even need to knock on the door: his father was obviously waiting for him, pacing in front of the entrance, and he looked up when he heard Alec's and his escort's footsteps.

"What took you so..." Robert began to say, before he trailed off and frowned, taking in the unusual amount of bodyguards around his weary-looking son, as well as Raj's absence. "What... What happened?"

"What you feared would happen," Magnus answered, "A magical attack."

"A magical... Good God, Alec! Are you all right?" the King asked in worry, walking toward the prince and cupping his face to get a closer look. "Are you hurt?"

"No," Alec whispered, slowly breaking free of his father's gentle hold, "I'm fine. Magnus protected me from Iris."

"Iris? What does she have to do with that?"

"Is mom inside?" the Crown Prince asked instead of replying, too tired to tell the story once and then have to explain it all over again to his mother. "She has to know as well."

Robert didn't waste any more time: pushing the door to the Gothic Salon open, he allowed Alec and Magnus inside, as well as five more bodyguards who brought Iris in, while the remaining members of the security team stayed outside and guarded the exit like staunch statues. In the room, standing or sitting on the comfortable velvet-covered ballooned-back chairs, the advisors and the Queen were all gathered, engrossed in quiet discussions that probably revolved around the girl Alec would have to marry; their conversations died as soon as the Crown Prince entered though and all of them opened wide eyes as they caught on the tension emanating from the incomers.

"What is going on?" Maryse immediately asked, standing up and striding towards them.

Alec was thankful for Hodge's intervention: aware of his prince's fatigue, he made a point of enabling him to sit back and watch as he explained to the Queen everything that he knew. Maryse didn't interrupt him, even when the royal advisors started to whisper behind her, but her face grew grim with concern - however, she didn't ask Alec how he felt: Hodge had said that he wasn't hurt and it was good enough for her.

"Thank you for protecting Alec," she said with emotion nonetheless, addressing Magnus who had stayed next to the Crown Prince, still standing in spite of his exhaustion. "We are grateful. Now, can you wake up that warlock? We need to have a long conversation."

_That warlock_. Maryse had known Iris for years, had trusted her with her children, and yet she didn't even say her name. As if she had stopped being a human to the Queen's eyes as soon as her true nature was revealed.

Magnus didn't answer with words: he waited for Hodge and Milo Keytower to lay Iris on the ground, then he snapped his fingers. The redhead's reaction quickly came: she gasped, as if she had just taken her first gulp of air ever, and she sat up straight, panting and glancing around with mad eyes, until she realised where she was and what had most likely happened. To Alec's surprise, her eyes filled with tears as soon as her gaze landed on him.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, before she started to sob, "I'm s... so sorry!"

"Sorry?" Magnus boomed before anyone else could speak, his voice shaking with wrath as he took big, threatening steps towards the red-haired woman, "You are _sorry?!_ You came at Alexander with a lethal spell! How does one feel sorry for that?"

"M... Magnus..." Iris cried out, only now realising that the High Warlock was still there - and she quivered with fear.

"Hello, Iris," Magnus said, crossing his arms when he stopped in front of her. "It's been a while."

For a second, the only noise that could be heard in the room was Iris' sobs. Maryse and Robert were watching the warlocks in stunned silence, as were all the others, and no one dared to interrupt as Magnus circled Iris.

"You looked younger the last time I saw you," he added, like he was merely making small talk, except that his voice sounded like ice.

"I taught the princes and the princess," Iris whispered, "for more than twenty years. I couldn't keep my youthful appearance all along."

"Indeed," Magnus agreed with a nod, "Yet the last time I saw you wasn't twenty years ago but... Oh, something like two centuries? I thought you were dead. You disappeared... So why would you come back, not to mention inside the Lightwood dynasty, two hundred years later? And why would you want to hurt Alexander?"

"That is what we all want to know," Maryse finally interfered, fuming. "Why did you do this to Alec, to us? I trusted you!"

"We both did," Robert added, "And while we wonder what reasons you have to wish for Alec's death, I also have another question: did you have anything to do with Max's accident?"

Robert was not a violent man, not even an angry one. Anger and seething rage were more Maryse's forte but in this instant, Alec had no doubt that his father would kill Iris with his bare hands, should she answer yes.

"I didn't," she said, closing her eyes as if hearing about the youngest prince's misfortune was painful to her. "I love that sweet boy and you know it, you know I care about all of them! I didn't mean... I didn't want to hurt Alec!"

It didn't make any sense. Nothing did. Iris was telling the truth: she had taken care of him, of Jace, of Izzy, and now of Max. In twenty years, she'd had thousands of opportunities to hurt Alec or to kill him, yet she hadn't. When he had seen her in that hallway, fighting with Magnus, the prince had even thought for a second that he was hallucinating, because why would Iris want him dead? He had never done anything to her... But it was impossible to deny her guiltiness, not when it was clear that she was the one who had sent out the fire messages and then, attacked the prince.

"I had no choice," Iris let out a broken, pathetic whisper, "He asked me to, he forced me to do it!"

"Who?" Magnus asked, urgency in his tone, "Who do you work for?"

Iris sniffled before she answered, her voice conveying both her fear and her disgust of the name she uttered.

"Valentine."

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Plot intensifies*
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you liked this chapter, feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments :) Until next time!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here I come with the 13th chapter! Lots of thanks and love to every single one of you for reading this story and giving it all the love you give it chapter after chapter, this is amazing. Thank you so, so much! I hope you'll also enjoy this chapter, in which many revelations are made!

  


Valentine. As soon as Iris said his name, Alec could see Magnus stiffen, as did all the other people in the Gothic Salon. His mother even gasped and that, more than anyone else's reaction, told the Crown Prince that whoever that Valentine was, he meant trouble.

"I'm sorry, who?" Alec asked, hating his confusion when everybody else seemed well aware of who Iris was talking about.

"Morgenstern?" Luke, one of the royal advisors, shot back, not taking his eyes off of the red-haired warlock and completely ignoring the prince's question, "Valentine Morgenstern?"

Morgenstern... The name sounded familiar to Alec. Wait. Wasn't it... Wasn't it the name of Clary's father? He had heard of him, heard how he had left Jocelyn when she was pregnant, abandoning her without looking back once; Clary didn't even know him and as far as she was concerned, Luke was her dad and not merely her stepfather. But what could Valentine Morgenstern possibly have to do with Iris and her attack against the Crown Prince?

"Who is Valentine, exactly?" Alec repeated a bit louder, brows furrowed.

This time, his parents answered in the same breath, words mixing together as they spat:

"A murderer."

"A terrorist," Maryse growled, far less diplomatic in her phrasing than her husband.

"And a mad man," Magnus concluded, coming back towards Alec, "One who has been on the run for twenty years."

"Why?" Alec asked again, feeling like a naive kid who had to be taught everything from the start.

A veil of surprise briefly fell over Magnus' eyes like a shadow but before he could say anything, Iris snorted. The shackles keeping her from using her magic obviously didn't keep her attitude at bay.

"You don't even know your own dynasty's history," she scoffed.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That Valentine Morgenstern ran away twenty years ago, after poisoning King Andrew," Magnus answered calmly, although a storm was brewing in the depths of his eyes, and he added, somewhat hesitant, "I thought you knew that."

The warlock glared at Maryse and Robert, who suddenly looked guilty as they glanced at their son. Stunned into silence, Alec could only stare at them, unblinking, more and more lost, feeling as if the ground had suddenly opened itself under his feet. His grandfather was... murdered?

"B... But..." he protested weakly, eyes wide, "You... You never said..."

"Of course we didn't tell you that your grandpa had died this way," Robert interrupted him, his voice soft and gentle, his gaze melancholic and sad as he remembered the acute pain of losing his father. "You were six. It was hard enough for you and your sister as it was."

Alec barely noticed when Magnus took a seat next to him, too shocked by the sudden revelations to pay attention to the warlock in this moment. However, he did feel his tentative move to take his hand, safe and undetected under the dark marquetry table behind which they were sitting, and Alec held onto it without the slightest hesitation.

"Valentine was an advisor, but he wanted the power for himself," Luke added hesitantly after a short, tense silence, not sure that he had the right to interfere and address the Crown Prince directly in this family matter, "Murdering King Andrew was part of his plan so that he could manipulate King... Well, Prince Robert, at that time... But I... I sort of ruined that plan when I caught him poisoning your grandfather. Yet not in time to save him, which is one of my deepest regrets."

"That wasn't your fault," Maryse said in a rare display of compassion. "You still exposed Valentine."

"And he got away," Luke replied, his guilt clear on his face. "No one had heard about him anymore and I thought that perhaps he was dead... Until now."

Alec closed his eyes at that, fighting his exhaustion and trying his best to focus. On Magnus' hand first and foremost, on the same tiredness as his own that he could feel through the warlock's loose grip, see in the subtle stoop of his shoulders. On the strength they were offering to each other, the comfort that enabled Alec to swallow the painful lump in his throat.

"Why now?" he croaked out.

"Because Valentine has plans," Iris said, looking at the prince with a gaze so soft that he almost couldn't believe she had attacked him, less than thirty minutes ago. "He found me and decided that he could use me to get to you... Knowing my past, he must have thought I was the perfect weapon."

Iris sighed when she realised that Alec was frowning, eyebrows arched up. He knew nothing of her past: for years, she had just been the royal children's preceptor so he had assumed that she had been a teacher somewhere else, in a prestigious school maybe, before Maryse and Robert hired her. He had not even known that she was a warlock until this day.

"The warlock genocide," she merely said.

Magnus' head snapped up at that, eyes burning with an intense curiosity as well as an edge of anger.

"What about it?" he asked, voice colder than ever, even colder than on that night he and Maryse had fought.

Alec didn't think that he imagined the quiet sob that crossed Iris' lips as she hung her head low, not daring to look at any of them when she whispered:

"I was responsible for it. I killed them."

The light bulbs that had since long replaced the candles in the chandelier hanging from the ceiling exploded when Magnus stood up abruptly, his gorgeous face distorted by fury and a sorrow so deep that Alec nearly felt it in his bones, cold and devastating.

"You did _what?_ " he seethed, tiny but threatening stars of purple magic spiralling up from his shoulders, "You... I'm going to _murder_ you!"

Alec jumped to his feet at that but Magnus' fists were already crackling with deadly power as he took slow, deliberate steps towards Iris, so pale she looked about to pass out. Perhaps she should have, for her death would certainly have been sweeter this way: Magnus didn't seem inclined to make it quick, there was too much pain in his eyes, too much pain in his heart.

"Don't!" Robert yelled, bravely stepping in front of the warlock, "She's valuable, she has information on Valentine!"

"I don't care," Magnus answered at once, voice thick and croaky, "She killed them. She killed them all!"

He was right, Alec thought. Iris was a murderer, just like Valentine was - and he would not let Magnus fall down at their level. He was better than that. His might was meant for protection, love, and romantic dates in Japanese gardens; he did not have the hands of a killer.

Striding up to Magnus, Alec gently rested his left hand on the warlock's shoulder, hoping that it would be enough to catch his attention - he would have hugged him, embraced him, had they not had a public, but they did and the prince didn't dare do more than that. He prayed though, he prayed that Magnus would feel his love, even through a simple gesture like this one.

Love. Raj had been right. Alec's lips nearly curled in a smile at the realisation and he accepted it easily, opening himself to that strong feeling that had caught his heart without his notice. He would have more time to relish the feeling later, though: he had more pressing matters at hand. Namely, Magnus himself, who had turned his head to look at him through glassy eyes, neck painfully twisted.

"Stop," he told the warlock, "Please. This won't make you feel better."

"Maybe it will," Magnus said, but his heart wasn't into it.

"It won't," Alec insisted. "And... It won't bring Ragnor back."

Magnus froze. For a second, Alec feared that he had said the wrong thing, that he was going to unleash fresh waves of rage, but the warlock smiled, a sad little smile that tore at the prince's heart.

"You're right," he whispered. "Ragnor would have punched me for even thinking about it. He was always the smart one."

Alec relaxed when he heard Magnus' words, releasing a shaky breath that he had not realised he was holding in, and he slowly let go of the warlock's rhinestone studded coat. Whipping his head to face Iris once more, Magnus' eyes flashed lightning.

"Start talking," he snarled, "before I make you."

Iris was smart enough to recognise a threat when she saw one, so she nodded and complied, her sad voice compelling Alec, maybe rightly so, to believe that she truly regretted what had happened, however it may have turned out that way. The prince had never considered his preceptor a bad person and the remorseful tone of her voice, combined with the fact that she had told him how sorry she was for attacking him, although it didn't erase the attack itself, convinced him that Iris was genuine in her repentance. He didn't intend on forgiving her that easily, though.

"The Morgensterns were never the best of people," Iris explained, keeping her head down. "Valentine isn't the first murderer - or madman - in his family. Two centuries ago, Roderick Morgenstern was a royal advisor who didn't exactly like the close relationship the dynasty entertained with warlocks - and what they could achieve with them."

"With me, you mean," Magnus growled, crossing his arms against his chest.

The redhead nodded, shame weighing down on her shoulders, and she said:

"Roderick knew of my passion for experiments... So he came to me and I created a poison, one that I thought would strip warlocks from their magic - and I intended to make it so that their powers would be transferred to me. I wasn't any better than him."

"You didn't try anything on me," Magnus pointed out, voice shaking with what Alec recognised as a mix of pain and guilt, guilt from the survivor whose close friends had died before he could do anything to help them, to save them.

"You were too powerful and the poison, not mastered yet," Iris answered, her eyes filling with tears as she spoke, "We were scared it wouldn't work on you and that you would find out about our project. But then... I realised... Magic is a delicate element and... It is bound to its warlock: we can't live without its essence. They all died."

She trailed off, looking lost in her memories, and Alec glanced at Magnus. His hands were clenched into tight fists and he still seemed to hesitate between allowing Iris to keep talking and killing her on the spot. Around them, the King, the Queen and the royal advisors didn't look too comfortable: certainly this part of history didn't interest them much but they didn't dare to show it and ask to skip to the part relating directly to Valentine, for Magnus, right now, gave off the vibe of a ticking bomb. None of them dared to interrupt and run the risk of making the warlock explode.

"After that," Iris added quietly, "I spoke to Queen Adamas, I told her everything. She had Roderick executed, while I went into exile. I couldn't bear the thought of what I had done. I spent two centuries as a doctor in Ethiopia, where I helped and tended to pregnant women."

This last sentence, and the end of that story as it seemed, was followed with a long, heavy silence. In front of Alec and turning his back on him, Magnus didn't move, didn't react to the pause, probably still trying to understand, to realise how his friends had been murdered by one of their own. The prince could see the tension in the line of Magnus' shoulders and he wished he was able to soothe him, to wrap himself around the warlock as a barrier, a shield against the world, just like his magic had protected Alec before. He could only imagine what was going on in Magnus' mind in this instant, after two hundred years of wondering, searching for the truth, only to find out that he - they, the warlock community as a whole - had been betrayed in the worst, most painful way.

"What about Valentine?" Maryse then asked, finally fed up with this tearful story that didn't directly concern her and her time.

"I came back here to make amends," Iris said instead of answering, which made the Queen furrow her brows in angry disapproval, "I waited for two hundred years, then I thought I could try to be a better person here, in Alicante. And for twenty years, I was. Until Valentine got in touch with me, two weeks ago."

"How did he manage that?" Robert asked, glancing in worry at the advisors, as if one of them would suddenly crack open and reveal Valentine underneath that disguise.

Iris, however, merely brought her shackled hands together and wriggled her fingers, until the silver band that adorned her ring finger came off. Magnus was quick to take it from her loose grasp, glaring at her at the same time, and he examined the ring with attention.

"Holograph," he stated after a few seconds of delicate probing. "Clever."

"Valentine is smart," Iris agreed, "and unlike the Lightwoods, he knew what had happened two hundred years ago, how involved I had been in all this. And he asked me to kill you."

She addressed the last part at Alec, who didn't get the time to answer - not that he would have known what to say to that - because Maryse reacted before he could.

"How could you?!" she shouted, "After everything..."

Alec fought a sigh at his mother's words: she had barely blinked when Iris had admitted to killing warlocks but now that they got to the part where she had attacked and failed to injure the Crown Prince, now she was upset. He couldn't stand it, how biased she was: while he could understand that she was worried about her son (who wasn't even hurt), he could not take her lack of compassion for dead warlocks. This ought to change, he thought, and if he got to be King one day, then he would want to be remembered for that: for the will and effort to change, to work for a better relation between their worlds. And if he had Magnus by his side...

"I didn't want to hurt him!" Iris cried out, cutting short Alec's trail of thought. "I sent out those threats, I thought I could hold off Valentine but... Two days ago, he took my Madzie, I had to act to get her back!"

"Madzie?" Alec interfered, "Who is she?"

"My niece," Iris explained softly.

And then, suddenly, she was crying as she told them how she had taken the little girl in when her mother had died, giving birth to her, how she loved her like her own child and how Valentine knew it well and had chosen to use this precious love against her.

"She's like us, Magnus! She's a warlock! Valentine has her now and if I don't... If Alec doesn't..."

She didn't finish her sentence but the meaning was clear: if the Crown Prince didn't die soon, Madzie would in his place. Or perhaps Valentine would keep her and then, what sort of adult would this little girl become, with a crazy man as only role model in her life?

"You could have come to me for help," Magnus said, his voice still cold but not unkind, "You could have told me about Valentine."

Iris glanced at him, then averted her eyes.

"I couldn't," she whispered, "I couldn't face you after what I did. I know that Ragnor meant..."

The red-haired warlock as well as a few others yelped when yet another light bulb exploded, plunging the room in a dim darkness that turned the Gothic Salon into a sort of haunted house. Magnus was fuming.

"Don't. Don't you dare say his name in front of me," he growled, "You're not worthy of it."

Iris let out a small sob but she didn't say anything else, probably agreeing with Magnus, if the shame she displayed was anything to go by. Alec was debating whether it would seem suspicious if he looped an arm around Magnus' shoulders to comfort him - and yes it would, indeed - when they heard a light commotion by the door.

Disgruntled bodyguards were forced to let Isabelle through, as she looked about to destroy everything that would come in her way, and she threw herself at her brother.

"Are you okay?" she cried, palming his face to get a better look, making sure that her brother wasn't hurt, a behaviour that earned her a glare from their mother, "I heard what happened, are you all right?"

Alec nodded but Izzy barely paid him any attention as she glanced around and caught sight of Iris; her eyebrows rose then furrowed as she put two and two together, between the warlock's tear-streaked face and the shackles around her wrists. Iris stared at the princess for a few seconds, before she turned back to Maryse and said:

"Your daughter was part of Valentine's plan as well."

"I'm sorry?" Robert asked, taking an automatic step to place himself between Izzy and the warlock, "Why?"

"Alec's death was only the beginning, the top of the iceberg," Iris admitted, "Valentine knows all about Alicante's constitution, the Salic Law and the agnatic succession. With no male heir, Isabelle would have had to marry."

Izzy's face morphed into a mask of fury and she glanced at Maryse. Alec wondered if their mother realised how close her own words about Isabelle being in need of a husband were to Iris' explanation and thus, Valentine's plan, and how risky this reasoning could have been if Alec had been badly hurt during the attack. The notion of the agnatic succession, according to which only males could inherit the throne, was archaic and as traditionalist as his parents. But if, as a King, Alec managed to change the constitution... He would be able to never get married nor have children and the throne of Alicante would go to Izzy without trouble.

"Valentine meant to send his son," Iris finally revealed, "He would have manipulated the princess' grief at the loss of her brother, get her attached to him, dependant on him, until he could propose. Once they were married, Valentine would have come back."

Izzy looked even more furious now, after Iris had suggested that she could be weak enough to trust and believe into someone who would twist her feelings and relish into her own sadness at losing her brother. But Alec was forced to admit that it was a good plan: grief and emotional instability could make people do strange things. Valentine wanted to come back at the top and having his son wed Izzy was a great way to do so: once settled back inside the palace, it would have been more than easy to undermine Robert and Maryse's power.

"Where is he now?" Robert asked, "Where does he hide?"

"I don't know," Iris answered.

"You don't know?" Maryse repeated, incredulous, "You were keeping in touch with him, surely you must know something!"

"I don't," Iris insisted, shaking her head. "If I knew, I would tell you! He has Madzie!"

That seemed to convince the Queen that she was telling the truth, for she understood that if Iris had known where her niece was being held captive, she would have barged in there already - Alec dared to hope that his mother would have felt the same way if one of her own children was in Madzie's situation. Eventually, Maryse gestured at Hodge and Milo to take the warlock away.

"Organise her transfer to the Central Prison," Robert enjoined them, reading his wife's mind, "and don't remove the shackles, at any cost."

"Please," Iris cried out as the two bodyguards grabbed her by the shoulders, "Find Madzie! Magnus, please, find her!"She couldn't say anything else since Milo and Hodge walked out of the room, dragging her along, and Alec didn't have the time to watch Magnus' reaction at Iris' plea: Maryse immediately ordered the warlock around:

"Magnus, locate Valentine, now!"

"I'm sorry but that won't be possible," the warlock scoffed, "Even with the ring I took from Iris, Valentine remains untraceable. I tried to locate him after Andrew's murder but back then, I was already unable to find him. I assume Iris isn't the only warlock working for him - willingly or not."

Alec barely noticed his mother's frustrated groan, nor how she and her husband immediately addressed the royal advisors and made plans, getting in touch with the High Magistrate Herondale to obtain an arrest warrant - although it was mentioned that Valentine could be executed on sight as well - and with Cleophas Garroway, who would keep her Special Forces unit ready at all times so that they could act as soon as they got Valentine's location.

But the Crown Prince didn't pay attention to any of that, not when he was unable to avert his eyes from Magnus' silhouette. The warlock was silent, sullen and immobile, not caring either about what was going on around him. Even without talking to him, Alec knew what was on his mind: Iris' last desperate plea to find her niece. Madzie.

She was a warlock, part of Magnus' people, and he had made it clear before that his people would always be one of his top priorities so of course, he would try to find her. That, and Magnus was a good man, who would never allow a child to suffer in the hands of someone like Valentine Morgenstern.

Which meant that Magnus would most likely leave Idris, leave _him_ , to go after Valentine and run headfirst into danger and confrontations with warlocks working for that man... The prince had seen him fight Iris and win, but what if those other warlocks were more powerful than her, more powerful than Magnus himself?

Alec felt fear wrap its cold, tight fist around his heart as he stared at Magnus, wishing he could hold onto him, desperate to keep him by his side and inside his heart, safe and warm.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you thought of it and what you think or hope is going to happen after that. Until the next chapter, have a nice week and take care of yourselves! ;)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm sorry this chapter took a bit longer than usual to come, I was busy and I didn't manage to get long writing sessions until Saturday night. Here it is though and I hope you will like it ;)

  


Alec left the Gothic Salon in a daze, Isabelle following up closely since she didn't completely trust him when he said that he was all right: she knew her brother too well, she had experienced more than once his tendency to pretend that everything was fine when it really wasn't.

To be honest though, the prince would be unable to say how he felt, should someone ask him. If questioned, he would probably just combust trying to explain... He was exhausted, that much was simple and obvious, but he was also... Scared. Not of Iris, not of Valentine, and not even for himself: he feared for Magnus. The warlock might be powerful but his fight against Iris and Raj's healing had clearly taken its toll on him, so what if he had to fight not one but several warlocks on his quest to find Madzie? Because Alec didn't doubt for one second that Magnus would try to rescue the little girl and that, albeit noble, terrified him.

"Are you sure you're not injured?" Izzy asked, concern plastered all over her beautiful face.

"Certain," Alec confirmed, which wasn't a lie, "Just shocked, I guess..."

"I would never have thought Iris could do that..." his sister agreed, "But don't worry, I'm sure we will find Valentine. Or, well, Magnus will. It might take him some time but I know he'll locate him, eventually."

Which was exactly what Alec was afraid of but there was no use in telling his sister as much, right? Right. So, he merely nodded, hoping that he looked confident, even though his mind kept screaming at him to just grab Magnus' hand and run away from the palace, to a place where they would not have to worry about Valentine or other enemies. Yet Alec knew that they both had responsibilities, duties, and that neither of them would actually want to give up on those: the prince did want to become King and change what needed to be changed, while Magnus was and would remain the High Warlock of Alicante.

Their jobs didn't pose a problem per se but the people around them, men like Valentine who plotted against the throne, people like Alec's own parents who would not react kindly to their oldest son's sexuality, all of them made it hard to live and love. Everything would be easier without them.

"Isabelle!" Maryse's clear and sharp voice cut through her son's thoughts, "Find Lydia and tell her to make sure none of what happened today transpires into the medias. Let's not alarm the people."

Izzy nodded, her wide eyes betraying her surprise at being given this sort of responsibilities - had Maryse understood that she couldn't rely on Alec and Alec only? Had she realised that her daughter was fully capable of doing her duty and do it well? Or did she feel guilty that her mindset regarding Isabelle was so close to that of a man like Valentine? Either way, Izzy looked pleased and she turned around after one last little wave of her hand to Alec.

"I'm sorry," Maryse added quietly once her daughter was gone, locking eyes with the prince's, "I'm sorry that we didn't tell you about your grandfather. We thought..."

"I know what you thought and I understand why you didn't tell me - or Izzy," Alec interrupted her gently. "But please, mom... No more secrets."

He felt just a tiny bit guilty to ask that, when he wasn't being completely truthful either, but... The Lightwood family was made of so many lies, so many secrets and deceptions, it couldn't keep on like that. Looking at his mother, standing tall and proud in her regal tube dress, Alec saw a strong Queen, firm and stubborn like most of their family, but he also saw the human in her, still fragile despite her temper, and mistake-prone.

Mistakes that mainly involved them, her children, but Alec was willing to forgive her if she realised and acknowledged exactly what she was doing wrong. Robert, too, even though he was less judgemental and pigheaded than his wife: sometimes Alec felt like he was merely Maryse's shadow when it came to their family, as he stood quietly in his corner and let his Queen speak, digging a deeper crevice between them all with her every word.

"No more secrets," Maryse agreed.

That surprised Alec but not as much as the somewhat hesitant but comforting hand she rested on his shoulder for a grand total of three seconds, before she withdrew it and cleared her throat.

"Your father and I have decided to bring Max back here for the rest of his convalescence," she announced. "He's currently waking up at the hospital but we will transfer him here this evening, it will be easier to assure his protection. Now that we know who we are up against and what Valentine wants, I'll be reassured to have you all in the same place."

"He's waking up?" Alec repeated, bewildered, "But... What, alone?"

"Simon is with him," Maryse answered, completely missing her son's point, "You'll be able to see him tonight, I know you were looking forward to..."

"Mom!" Alec exclaimed, frustrated, "Wait, stop. He's with _Simon_? Don't you think he should be with you? Or dad? Simon is cool, great even, but... He's not family. And family is exactly what Max is going to need when he wakes up."

"I know," his mother said calmly, a clear contrast with Alec's voice, "Believe me, I want to be by his side. But the recent developments..."

She went quiet when Alec rolled his eyes, not even bothering to hide it from her. It was time to make her understand who she should give her priority to in these very circumstances.

"Mom, I'm fine, Izzy and Lydia will take care of keeping this whole business quiet, Magnus will try his best to find Valentine and Cleophas will be ready to tear him apart. Right now, you and dad belong with Max. Alicante will be fine even if you take a two-hour long holiday."

Maryse blinked several times and stared at her son in bewildered puzzlement, as if she was only realising now how grown-up he was, how she couldn't just order him around anymore.

"I..." she started hesitantly, a rarity in Maryse's behaviour, "I will arrange something with your father."

Alec nodded, glad that his mother was at least considering his idea. He knew that Max would be delighted to see them first as he woke up: the boy might love Simon but he was still his bodyguard and could not be a substitute for his parents. Something the Queen and the King should understand as well. Until he turned seven, Alec was lucky enough to _know_ them and share a normal life with them, but afterwards...

Their relationship had slowly turned into one of rulers and heir, something more professional than personal, which Izzy had experienced as well. Jace hadn't, not to the same extent at least, since Maryse and Robert had been extra careful around the young boy when they had taken him in: he had just lost his own parents and needed another strong and reassuring figure in his life... The King and the Queen had provided him with what he needed, burdening his shoulders with less weight than they did his siblings, for Jace wasn't in line for the throne and didn't have to follow the same training. Later though, their relation had taken the same path as Alec's and Izzy's.

But Max was very young and their parents could still make it right with him. Perhaps they just needed someone to open their eyes and make them realise how much their youngest son needed them as parents, not just as rulers.

"I should go," Maryse said quietly, "We will schedule another time to discuss your wedding thoroughly."

Oh, right. Alec had forgotten about that entirely, what with Iris and her revelations... He nearly laughed - nervous and joyless - at the reminder. Even in dire circumstances, his mother didn't allow the slightest, simplest thing to slip her notice.

"That won't be necessary," the prince whispered on a sad, low tone, deciding to stick to the plan even with everything that had happened, "My girlfriend broke up with me. The rumours were too much for her..."

Maryse had the decency to look at least a bit compassionate but she didn't ask how Alec felt about that breakup - perhaps it was a chance, since he wasn't certain that he would lie convincingly about his feelings: how could he pretend to react accurately to something he had and would never experience? Yet, imagining that _Magnus_ was the one to up and leave was painful enough to give him a hint of how he would feel: distraught.

"She probably didn't deserve you," Maryse said, thankfully keeping Alec's mind away from the devastating thought that yes, Magnus was indeed going to leave.

Not definitively, fine, he knew that, but... It didn't change the fact that the warlock would most likely depart soon enough and face dangers that Alec wouldn't wish upon anyone.

Magnus, as the prince saw when his mother left after flashing him one last tiny smile, was currently speaking with one of the advisors. Alec felt his heart clench inside his chest at the thought that less than twenty-four hours prior, they had been kissing and holding each other close, getting lost in a bubble of quiet happiness that the prince had hoped would not burst too soon. Magnus had not left the premises and yet, he seemed so far away already...

As if sensing his distress, the warlock ended his conversation with the advisor and turned around; like a sunflower following the bright sun, his piercing eyes immediately found Alec and he walked toward the prince at a seemingly slow pace, yet one that showed how eager he was to leave this hallway and this atmosphere. The Crown Prince couldn't agree more and together, without even saying a word, they turned away from the crowd of advisors and bodyguards.

As soon as they rounded the corner, their hands flew to one another and they held on as they walked away, drawing comfort from their entwined fingers. They had done it before, held hands as they shared stories or magic and travelled through portals, but this... This was different, in a much better way. Alec didn't need to think twice about it before giving in, didn't have to worry that it would show his feelings to Magnus like he had feared before. They might not have talked about it, hadn't put words on what they were to one another, but it didn't matter: Alec was allowed to have this, to do this, and revel into the warmth of the warlock's hand.

However, they were quick to let go when they heard hurried footsteps coming from behind them and they stopped at the same time, turning in the hallway to face whoever had followed them.

"Luke?" Alec asked when Advisor Garroway appeared, looking a bit sheepish. "Can we help you?"

"Actually yes, Your Highness," Luke answered with a nod, "Although I was mostly searching for Warlock Bane."

"Were you now?" Magnus teased, crossing his arms against his chest and tilting his head, completely relaxed, as if Alec and he hadn't nearly been found out.

And perhaps that wouldn't bother him if it happened. After all, Magnus had always been open about his sexuality, which wasn't Alec's case - at all. They would definitely need to talk about that: would Magnus want to display their relationship? Would he agree to give him time? The warlock deserved better than to be a dirty secret and Alec wished he could give him more than that but then it would mean that he had to come out to his parents. To everyone.

The prince didn't want to think about it, not now at least. They had other problems to take care of, so he tuned into the conversation again and listened to whatever Luke had to say.

"You're going after Valentine, aren't you?" the man asked, face serious and curious at the same time, "For the little warlock?"

"Probably," Magnus admitted with an hesitant glance toward Alec, who couldn't say that he was surprised to hear this answer. "I'll try to locate him but I'm not sure I'll be able to - I never was, before. I'll start with the residences and domains that belong to the Morgenstern family... Most of them have been abandoned or sold but you never know."

Luke nodded but then, he slowly said:

"I used to know Valentine pretty well. We were... close, when we were young, until he started to change and later on, killed King Andrew."

The guilt in Luke's eyes as he glanced at Alec was so intense that the prince opened his mouth to tell him that none of Valentine's decisions and actions was his fault - even though Luke had failed at stopping him in time, at least he had _tried_ \- but the advisor didn't give him enough time to actually speak.

"My point is, I knew him. And I know that one of his smallest mansions was never sold - and no one ever bothered to check whether or not it was truly abandoned: the funeral of your grandfather and then the succession were a mess, the people confused... Like you, Your Highness, they never learned the truth: it was too dangerous to let it be known that an advisor had killed the King."

"You think Valentine hid in that mansion?" Magnus asked, eyes gleaming with an unusual ferocity, the hope that Luke was right.

"I can't be sure," the advisor said, cautious, "But it's a possibility. It is rather small, far in the North of Alicante; it doesn't attract much attention... And few even knew that it belonged to Valentine. I think it's worth a try..."

It was obvious that Luke wasn't sure of what Magnus would find there, should he decide to take a look at that mansion, and Alec briefly closed his eyes, praying that the warlock would be all right, wherever he chose to look for Valentine. If something happened to him in the North - or elsewhere - anything... Maryse and Robert had asked him to protect their son but Alec would never accept that such a deal was honoured at the cost of Magnus' life.

"Thank you," the prince told Luke nonetheless, trying to hide his concern behind the blank face he usually pulled in professional matters.

The advisor nodded, his features relaxing into an expression of relief. Perhaps, in his eyes, telling Magnus about the northern mansion was a way to make up for his failure of twenty years ago, to somehow let go of his guilt... But as far as Alec was concerned, Luke had nothing to be forgiven for.

"You're welcome," he answered, before he addressed Magnus, "Good luck."

Silent, the warlock stared at Luke's retreating back and when he disappeared around the corner of a perpendicular corridor, he faced Alec again. To the prince's surprise, Magnus closed the distance between them and rested his forehead on Alec's shoulder, shutting out the rest of the world as he sighed and stayed still. The younger man gently kissed the top of Magnus' head as he wrapped his arms around the warlock's waist, knowing all too well how he was feeling in this instant: tired with both the events of the day and the people's expectations.

"I wish I could just not hear anything else about Valentine for the next twenty-four hours," Magnus mumbled against Alec's shirt.

"You and me both," the prince chuckled, but it was too gloomy a sound to cheer any of them up.

Coming to a quiet agreement, Alec detached himself from the warlock but didn't let go of his hand, taking advantage of their still joined fingers to pull and draw Magnus to him and then to his chambers, where they would eventually enjoy a moment of peace and tranquillity, far from the rest of the Court. Mere walls separated them from the buzz of the palace and yet, as soon as they crossed the threshold to his private quarters, Alec felt a weight lift off his shoulders - or perhaps it was wishful thinking and nothing else... Still, Magnus was there with him and that, in itself, was a source of strengthening comfort.

However, they had barely closed the door behind them for a full minute when they heard a series of light knocks against the wood.

"Why can't we never be alone?" Alec groaned - whined, to be accurate - as he went to reopen the door.

Unprompted, Magnus had taken a few steps back, disappearing from the sight of anyone who would stand on the threshold and peek inside the room. Alec immediately felt guilty about it: he didn't want to hide Magnus.

It was too late though and the prince opened the door, already bracing himself for more bad news or something of the like. When he found himself facing a weary-looking Hodge, he felt his guilt level go over the roof: perhaps he should have warned his bodyguard that he was leaving the Gothic Salon and its immediate surroundings.

"Hodge?" Alec prompted him.

"Your Highness..." the blond man said quietly, "May I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course," the prince answered, feeling a tad bit uncomfortable that he couldn't exactly invite Hodge inside to discuss at ease. "What is it?"

"It's..." the bodyguard trailed off, unusually hesitant and fidgety, something that Alec had never witnessed in his behaviour before. "I just... I feel like I owe you an apology, given the recent events, and I would understand if you deemed me unfit to protect you or if you wanted to fire me..."

Alec interrupted Hodge's babbling with a raised hand, confused. What was he talking about? What did he have to apologise for? All the prince could think of was the man's more than slightly hostile behaviour toward Magnus, that day he warlock had sprung out of a portal and surprised them both, but how would that warrant him to get fired? Magnus hadn't been that offended, neither had he...

"I don't understand," he offered, "so if you could explain yourself a bit better..."

"Right..." Hodge grumbled, "Right... Well, you see, I... I used to be friends with Valentine Morgenstern, Your Highness."

Alec didn't say anything to that, waiting for more, but when Hodge didn't add anything either, the prince hesitantly asked:

"That's... that's it?"

"That's it?" Hodge echoed, incredulous, "You... You don't think that's quite enough? Your Highness, in case I didn't make myself clear, I was friends with the man who murdered your grandfather! The man who plotted an attack against you, against the Crown! I would understand if you didn't trust me anymore, I..."

"Hodge, no, wait," Alec silenced him, eyes wide, "You had nothing to do with this attack, did you?"

"No, Your Highness," the bodyguard said, pained to even hear the question.

"There, you have your answer," Alec added. "You never gave me any reason to doubt you and just because you were friends, _twenty years ago_ , with someone who turned out to be a bad guy... doesn't mean you're like him."

Hodge ran a hand through his hair, obviously relieved at the Crown Prince's kind judgement but also looking a bit surprised, as if he had expected to be fired on the spot or worse, dragged to a tribunal to prove his innocence, prove that he had played no part in Valentine's schemes. That sounded more like the kind of reaction that his parents, especially his mother, would have but Alec was proud to say that he wasn't like them. Hodge had been acquainted with Valentine before, so what? Luke too and yet, he gave the best advice in Court and Hodge was a good man and a dedicated bodyguard. Everyone made mistakes in their youth but they didn't dictate who people would be later on, did they?

"Thank you, Your Highness," Hodge eventually said, voice tight with emotion, "Thank you so much."

For a second, Alec got scared that his bodyguard would start to cry on his shoulder and he already imagined himself awkwardly patting the man's shoulder, but Hodge blinked and his face slowly folded into a mask of distant professionalism again.

"Thank you," he repeated one last time. "Then if you don't mind, Your Highness, I will be the one to ensure your protection inside the palace on a daily basis, until further notice... Until Raj is able to come back."

"Of course," Alec answered, noting in a corner of his mind that he ought to pay Raj a visit, once the other man felt a bit better. "Well, I think I'm going to stay and rest here for a little while... I'm not here for anyone, not even my brother or my sister."

He desperately needed some time alone with Magnus and he wouldn't stand another interruption.

"Understood, Your Highness."

"Thank you," Alec whispered.

He retreated inside his chambers and closed the door, blaming the security rules that forbade him to actually lock it: in case of emergency, his bodyguards had to be able to reach him as fast as possible. Besides, a locked door could be a telltale sign that someone had preceded the guards and gotten to the prince first - which would be a disaster but at least, they would immediately notice it.

Alec remained standing and facing the door for a short moment, until he felt two strong arms sneaking around his chest and a pair of soft lips placing a delicate kiss on his neck, right above the collar of his shirt. He sighed in contentment, closing his eyes to savour the instant and the feelings in his heart. Relaxing into the embrace, he covered Magnus' hands with his own.

"What are you thinking about?" the warlock whispered against his skin in a warm breath.

"That Valentine is a real pain in my ass," Alec growled, slowly turning around to stare at Magnus, who kissed the tip of his nose and made him stutter out his next words, "A... And it... uh, it seems... M... many people have or used to have a connection with Morgenstern... I'm still surprised I didn't hear about him earlier."

Magnus sighed and dragged Alec to their beloved leather couch before answering.

"The Crown's secrets are well kept," he said sombrely. "Still, I didn't think that you and your sister would have been kept in the dark as well... How are you feeling?"

The prince shook his head and brought Magnus' hand to his lips, kissing it softly. He didn't miss the fleeting shock in the warlock's eyes, nor the incredible fondness that settled in the warmth of his irises afterwards.

"Don't make it about me," Alec pleaded. "I'm fine and unharmed, you made sure of that... But you? How do you feel? You know, about... about Iris' revelations?"

Magnus had reacted strongly to the redhead's announcement and her responsibility in what had happened to the warlocks two centuries prior but since then, he had stayed awfully quiet on the topic. While Alec was never the one to talk openly about his feelings either, he knew too well that keeping them bottled up wasn't the healthiest way to go about it.

"Don't worry about me," Magnus waved away his concern with a little shake of his head, "You don't have to."

"But I _want_ to," Alec insisted, squeezing the warlock's hand, "All I care about is how you feel. Please, Magnus... Talk to me."

And Magnus slowly huffed, a bit taken aback by the pleading intensity in Alec's words, but then he relented with a small smile and started to speak.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut the chapter here so that it wouldn't be too long but... If everything goes as planned, I think you'll like what's coming in the next chapter! Thank you so much for reading, for all the kudos, your constant support and your amazing comments! You are a blessing :) Until next time!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Here we go with the newest chapter, that I loved writing and that I hope you'll love reading! Enjoy :)

  


"I'm lost," was the first thing that Magnus admitted in the silence of the room. "I waited two hundred years for the truth and now that I have it, I just don't know what to do with it."

Alec didn't speak, only tightened his grip on the warlock's hand and waited, allowing Magnus to take his time and think, to sort his ideas and feelings about Iris, willing to stay quiet until the warlock was ready to talk some more.

"I wanted to kill her," Magnus added softly then, his voice vibrating with anger and shame at the same time, "I wanted... I wanted to hurt her, like she hurt _them_. I still do."

Magnus turned wild, tearful eyes toward the prince, who found himself at a loss for words. What could he possibly say in this situation, what could make it better? He had no idea. But then again, he had not asked Magnus to speak only so that he could comfort him: this was about the warlock, about giving him the possibility to vent out his fury and his pain. Perhaps there was nothing to say to that but at least, Magnus would free himself from a heavy weight.

"Thank you," the warlock said after a little while of silence, only breaking it with a low whisper.

"Why?" Alec asked on the same tone, utterly confused.

He hadn't said anything, hadn't _done_ anything beside listening. Magnus didn't have any reason to be thankful, did he?

"Back there, you kept me from... unleashing the darkest side of myself," the warlock explained, blinking his shame away as he looked at the prince. "Without you, this could have gotten ugly."

"I didn't do it for her," Alec felt compelled to say - for it wasn't pity for Iris that had prompted him to help Magnus calm down, far from it.

"I know."

Silence settled over the room again but this time, it felt less tense, less heavy with unspoken words. Magnus' eyes travelled down to their tangled hands and a subtle smile appeared on his lips, just a tiny curve upwards, at the left corner of his mouth.

"At least," he said, "we know your family wasn't responsible for the genocide. I really thought that the King... But perhaps it was a mere coincidence."

"Iris didn't speak of him, so..." Alec trailed off, before he kept going, "I know it doesn't change what happened but for what it's worth, I'm glad that my family didn't do this to yours."

"We would have been the modern Romeo and Juliet," Magnus grumbled, a weak attempt at brightening the mood as well as their minds.

Alec was gracious enough to respect his effort and he chuckled a bit, although it didn't fool the warlock: he knew that it wasn't that funny.

"It... it doesn't end well for Romeo and Juliet," the prince said after a beat, softly, quietly, almost scared to hear his own words. "Do you think that... it could end well for us?"

The heaviness of the question managed to surprise him, even though he had been the one to ask. It was vague too, it could apply to their current situation as well as to the future, for who could say where they would stand in a week? But before they could focus on a possible tomorrow or even on a future together - maybe, if they were lucky - they had to solve the _here and now_ first.

Magnus stared at Alec, lips parting as he hesitated, struggled with his words, clearly trying to pick the best ones in order to soothe the prince's anxiety.

"Alexander..." he began, "I assume you're talking about the fact that I'll go after Valentine, am I right?"

Alec nodded, unable to speak. Yes, that worried him - more than worry, it made him feel just this close to fully panic and the mere thought of putting Magnus' life on the line threatened to make his heart stop after one last, painful beat - and it was just the beginning.

For now, his heart kept on beating but Magnus took his breath away when he left the couch in order to kneel in front of Alec, sitting back on his heels as he rested his hands on each of the prince's thighs. There, staring at the Crown Prince from under his lashes, drowning in the frightened but still twinkling warmth of Alec's eyes, Magnus made him a promise.

"I will be fine," he whispered, "and I'm going to come back. We will have a future together. If... If you want that, I mean."

"I do," Alec replied earnestly, leaning in so that he could place his hands over Magnus' cheeks, holding him still as he gazed at the warlock's lips.

"Good," the other murmured, glancing at the prince's own mouth, until his eyes darted up so that he didn't give into the temptation of kissing him senseless, and he drilled his next words into Alec's ears and heart. "Better than anyone, you understand that I can't abandon my people... So I can't abandon Madzie. I'm going away for a little while, I'm going to find her and then... Then, Alexander, I'm going to come back to you. And we are going to be _fine_."

In the end, Alec was the one who stopped fighting the temptation: the next second, his lips were on Magnus' and his mind all but whispered _finally_ when the warlock looped his arms around his neck. The prince wished they could stay like this forever, for he would never tire of feeling their lips move slowly together, parting on a small breath only to find each other again for a deeper kiss. He knew that he belonged in Magnus' arms with as much certainty as he knew that he loved his siblings or that looking at the sun would blind him.

And Magnus was his sun: warming him up from inside with the gentlest of touches on his hand, his arm; dazzling him with every smile he flashed him, burning and giving him life with every breath he took.

As they kissed, as Magnus turned his whole world upside down with the mere press of his lips, Alec swallowed the dizzy moan that threatened to slip through his open mouth - but it died as soon as the warlock deepened their embrace, licking into the prince's mouth, encouraging their tongues to waltz together. Alec tangled his fingers in Magnus' dark hair and he happily returned this eager, excited kiss, never getting quite enough of it.

 _Enjoy it while it lasts_ , whispered a sly voice in his head, awfully sounding like Iris', and the Crown Prince froze for half a second - a brief instant but still long enough for Magnus to realise that Alec wasn't into their kiss as much he had been at first. He slowly let go of the prince's neck and locked their hands together instead.

"What's wrong?" the warlock whispered in a soft but slightly erratic breath, "Is it too much?"

"N... No," Alec stammered - and God, he wasn't lying: he would have wanted this kiss to go on forever. "I'm fine."

And he was, truly, except that Magnus was going to leave and Alec, for all he wanted to believe and trust the warlock's promise, couldn't help but think... What if this was the last time he saw Magnus? He hadn't pledged to return only on a spur of the moment, Alec knew that, and he was sure that Magnus genuinely thought he would come back to the prince but... What if he didn't? What if luck decided to give up on them?

Three little words stumbled on the tip of his tongue then, anxiety and elation both overwhelming his heart in a powerful wave of emotion. Alec was about to let them out in the open, these delightful yet scary words, when he suddenly changed his mind. He would not say them, not now. If he didn't, then Magnus had a reason to come back, safe. He had to come back to hear these words Alec wanted to say.

"I'm fine," the prince repeated, forcing a small smile that looked a bit like a grimace on his lips, one that Magnus noticed, of course, and so he admitted, "I'm scared."

"Scared?" the warlock echoed, his tone impossibly fond and reassuring, "Alexander, I promise that nothing is going to happen to you while I'm away. My magic will protect you just like it did earlier, you have nothing to..."

Alec shook his head, interrupting Magnus wordlessly. Prompted by his confused eyes, the prince confessed:

"It's not myself I'm worried about. I'm scared for _you_."

Magnus should really stop looking at him like that, he thought when the warlock gaped a little, flashes of incomprehension, realisation, surprise and then profound affection following one another across his face. If he didn't, Alec might as well combust.

"Thank you," Magnus whispered quietly, more so than the Crown Prince had ever heard him. "I'm... I'm not used to have people around to worry about me like that. But I'll be all right, Alexander, even if I do encounter some... problems on the way. I'm a lucky man."

The prince didn't miss the way Magnus glanced at their hands then, a look that clearly meant _I am lucky to have you_ , and really, what reaction could he have other than melt right there and then? _He_ was the lucky one, he...

Luck. That reminded him...

"Come," he whispered, tugging on their joined hands as he clumsily rose to his feet.

Magnus stood up with more grace than was allowed and followed Alec with a confused little frown, until he smirked as they entered the prince's bedroom.

"If you wanted to get me into your bed," he started with a smile while Alec rummaged into his bedside table, "you should have said so. No need for secre... Oh."

The Crown Prince nearly laughed at the expression on Magnus' face as he presented him a tiny, colourful package, and the warlock glanced at him with surprising hesitation.

"Is that for me?" he asked, almost not daring to believe it could be.

"Of course it is," Alec snorted, before he actually registered the raw emotion in Magnus' eyes. "Are... Are you all right?"

Magnus took a deep breath and nodded, smiling in reassurance, although it didn't quite have the desired effect: if anything, the prince panicked a little more. Was that... inappropriate? Too much? Was he not supposed to give gifts to the warlock? Was there a rule in warlocks culture that prohibited such gifts or gave them a deep meaning that Alec had no knowledge of?

Thankfully, that row of questions stopped as soon as Magnus accepted the tiny gift and pecked Alec's cheek, then he explained:

"Forgive my surprise. I... I hadn't received a gift in... Well, in a very long time."

The prince frowned at that.

"Then I should have offered it to you earlier," he decided. "I'm sorry. I bought it in Tokyo when you took me there but I... I didn't know when would be the right time... Nor whether you would like it and... I think I got scared. Just a bit."

Magnus laughed at that, kissing Alec's mouth gently, full of gratitude, and then he actually looked at the package. His care as he unwrapped the gift with delicate fingers was endearing to Alec, while the thought that Magnus hadn't been gifted anything in years was baffling: how could one not want to spoil the warlock? Miss the happiness shining in his eyes? Or the surprise, when a small amulet slipped into Magnus' open palm?

"It's called _omamori_ , in Japanese," Alec whispered, not daring to speak louder and disturb the quiet peace of this moment. "For luck and protection."

Lips parted in wonder, the warlock nodded absently, tracing the white and golden brocade on the red silk with two fingers of his free hand, contemplating the patterns as if they could speak to him, bearers of messages that only he could understand. And in the end, Magnus understood the most important message of all: this was a gift made out of love, something that Alec wanted him to have as a little light, a hint of hope, one that Magnus could look at in dire circumstances, so he would remember that there was someone waiting for him at the other end of the dark tunnel, that better times would come.

"Thank you," Magnus said softly, his voice coming out a bit strangled. "This is..."

He trailed off and glanced at Alec with an apology in his eyes, even though the prince didn't need one. He understood Magnus' emotion that kept him from speaking as freely as he wished but he also got the meaning of his attempted babble, and he wasn't surprised when the warlock decided to replace words with kisses.

Those were addictive. Never the same, he was realising, sometimes slow and deep, sometimes filled with intensity and playfulness - and sometimes with urgency, as proved this one kiss. Magnus was kissing him as if it was the last time he would ever get to do so and Alec suddenly realised that as much as the warlock liked to say that everything would be all right for them, he felt the same sort of fear as the prince did. Maybe not regarding Valentine, for Magnus did seem pretty confident in his own skill (as he should, after hundreds of years of practice) but perhaps on a more personal level: after all, Magnus knew the Lightwoods pretty well and it was no mystery to him that things could easily get complicated with royalty.

And Magnus didn't want to focus on that, not now, and Alec definitively never wanted to. For all he cared, they might as well never leave this bedroom and kiss for all eternity and... Oh. Was that Magnus' hand crawling under his shirt and sending shivers up and down his back?

Yes it was, the Crown Prince realised with a giddy moan that Magnus crushed between their lips. He also found out that he didn't mind at all and that he would love to let his own hands wander as well and... Could he do that? Would that lead to...

Alec's body decided to lead the both of them to _something_ of its own accord when his knees buckled and gave up after one particularly breathtaking kiss, courtesy of Magnus, and he found himself on his back, lying on top of his bed with a dishevelled warlock staring at him from above.

"Are you okay?" Magnus asked, booping Alec's nose and laughing at his wide eyes.

Magnus looked happy. Just happy, perhaps a bit aroused too, but not... hungry for more. Was Alec an idiot for wondering, for thinking that perhaps they could...

"Do you want me?" he blurted out before he could think better of it.

The warlock's face immediately lost all traces of amusement and he sat up, tugging on Alec's arm so that he could do the same. Looking a bit worried, he asked:

"Have I... Am I pressuring you into doing... something you don't want to do?"

"What? No!" Alec exclaimed, before he remembered that Hodge was in the hallway outside his room and lowered his voice, "No, Magnus, I... I'm just wondering if... You know..."

An awkward silence followed this less than clear sentence but thankfully, the warlock got the gist of it.

"I do," he said at last, "Want you, that is. But I don't... Never if you're not ready."

The prince felt himself fall a bit more for the warlock at the obvious concern and respect in his voice, comforted by Magnus' implied promise that he would wait until Alec was ready. And was he, now? That was the problem, wasn't it? Two weeks ago, Alec had no plan - and no hope - of ever finding himself in this sort of situation but... There he was, sitting on his mattress with the man he was in love with, and he wanted... He wanted him.

He also wanted to take his time though, but a little thought was nagging at the back of his mind: what if something terrible happened to Magnus while he was away? What if Alec never got to experience how it felt to be held in Magnus' arms, to touch his skin, to experience the sort of intimacy he had never thought he would get with another man? He didn't want to have regrets, to think of endless _what if's_ , to live on with the longing. Couldn't he have this and hold onto it forever, in the loneliest nights he would live, should Magnus not come back?

"I want you," Alec finally admitted as well, looking up to stare into the warlock's eyes and see the renewed spark in his calm expression. "I just... I don't know how far..."

He trailed off, blushing awfully, and he ducked his head to avoid Magnus' piercing gaze.

"It's all right," the warlock said, warm fingers pushing under his chin gently, so that their eyes met again. "We can do this at your pace."

Alec nodded, a bit dazed as he wondered how he had managed to get himself a man like Magnus, who was not only gorgeous and smart but also respectful and incredibly loving, tender in every single one of his gestures.

When Magnus kissed him again, the prince was happy to surrender to his mouth; without even noticing, he let himself slowly fall backward on his bed, a bit faster with every gentle bite and teasing nibbling of their lips, dragging the warlock down with him. He should feel nervous, he thought, he should be apprehensive at the thought of letting Magnus see him, all of him, for he had never felt much comfortable in his own body, but somehow the warlock's reassuring presence helped him to stay calm.

He wanted this. He truly did, it wasn't just his concern and fear for the future talking, he really... Goodness, he felt all hot and aroused with the mere reminder of Magnus' hands roaming over his body, that day they had shared his magic for the first time... His body was calling, longing for Magnus' own, and all he could think of was how good it would feel to finally touch him, see if he, too, could turn the warlock into an excited mess with a light caress of his fingertips.

His breathing grew ragged and laborious when Magnus' fingers slipped under his shirt and made him shiver again, a delicious sensation of warmth spreading and running through his veins at lightning speed. Shaking with nerves and anticipation, Alec rested his own hands on Magnus' hips, not daring to move them yet, and he glanced at the warlock with a hint of interrogation in his eyes.

"Okay?" he whispered, feeling a bit self-conscious when his voice came out raspy, strangled.

"More than okay," Magnus answered with a smile, his tone rough as well. "Can I...?"

He glanced at Alec's shirt and its buttons, raising a brow as he awaited the authorization to go on and unbutton them, fingers itching to actually do it and undress the prince already, to reveal his glorious beauty to his eyes. Alec nodded - and that was all he needed. Still careful, still making sure to glance every now and then at the prince's face to check that he was fine with all this, Magnus worked at his shirt buttons until he could grab each side of the fabric and tug it open, drinking in the sight of Alec's muscles, hard planes and soft dips, and the dusting of thin, dark hair enhancing his chest. Was he drooling? Probably. Magnus couldn't get enough of it.

A dark red blush spread from Alec's cheeks down to his neck and collarbones under the intensity of Magnus' stare and he could not bear it any longer: feeling bold all of a sudden and unable to stand the hunger in the warlock's eyes, he surged upwards and wrapped one arm around Magnus' shoulders to bring their mouths together once more, this time in a searing hot kiss that left no room for patience and slowness. He smirked between their lips when he heard the sharp gasp the warlock let out, revealing his surprise, but Alec didn't leave it at that.

Magnus' reactions and soft noises were far too delightful and enjoyable to stop there, so the prince gathered his courage and found the strength in himself to move his hands from the warlock's hips, up to the small of his back and underneath his clothes, ghosting over his stomach, feeling it tense under his caresses, until his fingertips brushed over a sensitive spot that had Magnus breaking their kiss with a loud moan, throwing his head backward as he blinked sluggishly. Alec stopped breathing.

When Magnus opened his eyes again, they were golden.

"Your eyes..." the prince whispered in awe.

The warlock must have misunderstood his admiration for fear though, because he quickly blinked again and then, his eyes had turned back to the same brown Alec had always seen before.

"Sorry," Magnus mumbled, shying away from the prince's gaze, "That's my warlock mark. I... I usually use a glamour over them but sometimes... Sometimes, I lose control."

"Please," Alec breathed out, "Show them to me again... I thought I had seen them before, when you argued with my mother, but I wasn't sure..."

The prince trailed off when he realised exactly why Magnus had kept the golden colour of his eyes a secret, suddenly remembering their discussion about the warlock's childhood and how people had been scared of him, of his power - and perhaps of this special feature, too. He hadn't realised before how many scars Magnus actually carried, etched across his heart if not on his skin.

"Don't hide," he whispered, aiming for reassurance as he cupped the warlock's face and coaxed him into looking up and at him again. "Magnus, your eyes are beautiful."

The gold hesitantly came back into Magnus' warm irises when he understood that Alec meant his last words and genuinely desired to see his eyes - to see _him_ , just as who he was. The prince felt the shiver that shook Magnus' strong frame when he kissed him gently - too gently perhaps, compared to their frantic mood of a few minutes earlier, which the warlock made him understand by trailing hungry kisses down his neck and his chest, until his lips hit the waistband of Alec's pants.

The prince let out an embarrassing mewl when one of Magnus' hands touched him through the fabric of his jeans.

"Still okay?" the warlock asked, bless him, "Or too much?"

"N... not en...ough," Alec panted, his words coming out a bit strangled.

He couldn't think of anything beyond the need to feel Magnus' hands on him, _all over_ him, but he didn't want to be the only one naked in this room, so he tugged at the hem of Magnus' shirt in a silent command. The warlock gladly complied and Alec's brain short-circuited when he finally got to see Magnus' bare chest - a sight in itself, miles of tan and smooth skin, but really, the prince's attention got mostly caught by the muscular arms supporting Magnus' weight above his own body.

Alec still didn't know how far they would go... But he was fine with everything Magnus would suggest, as long as he was held in his tight and strong embrace. He smiled when Magnus, not once averting his eyes from Alec's, unbuckled his jeans and made him lift his hips so that he could properly get rid of his pants, relieving the prince from the pressure over his lower body. He half-expected Magnus to devour him right there and then or... or... or _something_ , but he was surprised to find that the warlock remained still, gazing at him and his long, naked body in silence.

"I... I'm not going to break," Alec uttered a bit shyly, taking Magnus' sudden pause as hesitation to keep going.

The warlock had to know that it was his first time, since the prince had made it clear more than once, with terrible awkwardness, that he had never acted upon his desires. So, perhaps Magnus was... considering how to proceed, trying to figure out what Alec would like. He couldn't be lost in his contemplation of Alec now, could he?

"I know," Magnus said at last, huffing a little, and he added on a quiet tone, "It's just... I realise... That this is making more vulnerable than I thought I would ever be. You may not be breakable, Alexander, but... I feel like one word from you would be enough to shatter me, if you wanted it to. I've... not felt like this in a long, very long time."

Oddly enough, Alec felt his eyes water a bit upon hearing those sweet whispers and he laced his fingers with his lover's, smiling with joy as he accepted the gift that Magnus, without actually saying the part, had sneaked into his words: his heart.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at those babies being so in love *-* And they are basically married now, Alec did say _I do_ when Magnus spoke of their future, didn't he? :p Thank you so much for reading so far, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feel free to share your thoughts, as usual, they are always a delight to read! Until next time ;)


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! In this chapter, a little less pure Malec but a lot of thinking and pondering on Alec's side. I hope you will like it!

  


When Alec woke up that morning, he refused to open his eyes and kept his eyelids tightly shut, holding onto the remnants of sleep that still weighed down on his body. He didn't want to open them and affront the heartbreaking reality that he knew he would have to face at some point: the other, empty side of the bed.

He had awaken twice during the night, unused to have someone else in his bed, unused to the added warmth of the sleeping body next to him. Magnus was a furnace and while they had fallen asleep with Alec held in the warlock's loose but hot embrace, it had not taken long until the prince switched their positions, lest he drench the sheets in sweat. Magnus had slept on, merely groaning with slight annoyance as Alec squirmed free, only to settle again as soon as the prince wrapped an arm around his waist.

The second time sleep had deserted him though, he'd blinked his bleary eyes open and found that Magnus was awake as well, staring at him with a fond smile, as if he couldn't quite believe that they were sharing a bed. Underneath that smile though, had lurked another, sadder emotion, and Alec had understood that Magnus would already be gone after Valentine the next time he would wake up.

So, he didn't want to open his eyes and see for himself that the warlock had vanished. His stomach complained loudly though, whining about breakfast in grumbles and angry contractions, and Alec sighed. He had missed dinner last night, too busy to care about that, happy to sate himself with Magnus' love only.

Alec's body was still tingling with the lingering pleasure of last night; he kept his eyes close for a little while longer, revelling into the memories, how Magnus' naked body had felt against his own, how erratic his heartbeat had grown, how he had felt Magnus swell underneath his hesitant hand, and the warmth of his mouth and the shape of his shoulders as Alec held onto them while Magnus rocked his world...

The prince opened his eyes.

They had not closed the curtains last night, too taken by each other to focus on that, and now the bedroom was bathed in the entirely too depressing gray light of a December morning. The room felt cold now that Magnus wasn't there anymore, so Alec wrapped his naked self a little tighter in his blanket and grabbed the pillow next to his own, burying his nose into its softness.

It smelled faintly like spices and he wished he knew whether it came from Magnus' perfume or his shampoo - there was still so much he didn't know about the warlock, so much he wanted to find out! What was his favourite pastry? Which lands in the world had he not yet visited in his long existence, where could Alec take him on a date some day?

With a resigned groan, the prince slowly rolled out of bed, still looking like a burrito in his mountain of blankets, and he padded to the attached bathroom. He stared at his tired but content reflection in the mirror and slowly uncovered himself, revealing his bare chest and lower body and... the few hickeys adorning his skin. Oops.

He blushed as he remembered the slight pain and the intense pleasure shooting through his body when Magnus had nibbled onto the sensitive skin of his neck, his collarbone and his inner thigh. Well... At least, it settled the question of his clothing today: a turtleneck sweater, one that would hide the evidence of the previous night so that neither Izzy nor Jace would notice anything - if they did, Alec knew that he would never hear the end of it.

A long, warm shower later - that the prince wished he could have shared with Magnus - Alec got dressed and headed out of his suite, Hodge on his heels, already thinking of what he would do on this day to keep his mind from worrying about the warlock nonstop. Visiting Max was his top priority of course, since he was now back in the palace, then there was Raj and probably a Court meeting with his parents and some foreign dignitary (then the turtleneck might not be too appropriate for that sort of meeting), perhaps another one with the Prime Minister to keep him updated about the latest events in the palace... Yeah, Alec would keep busy. He had to.

By chance, he ran into Izzy on his way to the kitchen. His sister was carrying a heavy tray with several bowls and spoons, chocolate cereals packets and a pitcher of apple juice - Max's favourite, which left little doubt as to where she was going.

"Alec!" she exclaimed with joy when she saw him, "Did you sleep well? You look better than yesterday!"

The prince tried not to let his embarrassment creep onto his cheeks as he remembered the last night: he had not slept that much and still, he felt refreshed and pleasantly sore, not that Izzy needed to know that.

"I did," he answered instead, allowing a smile to curl up his lips, "You?"

"More or less... I kept thinking about what happened to you yesterday..."

"Don't worry about me," Alec said, squeezing Izzy's shoulder, "I'm fine. Do you need help with that?"

He gestured toward the tray but the princess shook her head.

"It's all right," she said with a careful shrug, "Will you join us for breakfast in Max's bedroom? Jace and Clary are there already, they went ahead with bear claws."

"I'm dying to see Max," Alec answered with a nod, and he fell into step with Izzy as she resumed walking through the long hallway. "Clary is here? So early in the morning?"

Isabelle smirked and whispered:

"She may or may not have spent the night..."

Alec shook his head, laughing as he imagined their parents' face if they only knew what was going on under their nose. Jace would probably have to talk to them about his relationship with Clary soon though, because it was crystal clear that he was serious and deeply in love - Alec wouldn't be surprised that an invitation for a wedding or at least, an engagement party, arrived one of these days.

When they entered Max's bedroom, leaving Hodge and Maia to stand guard at the door, the sight that welcomed them nearly broke Alec's heart and he felt his guilt regarding the accident come back to the surface with worrying strength - yet, the delighted smile that lit up his little brother's face appeased him a tiny bit. Max looked awfully pale and small in his bed, a thick and white bandage still wrapped around his head.

"Alec!" Max greeted him happily, his voice somewhat raspy but still so clearly excited.

"Hey, buddy," the Crown Prince whispered, before kissing the little boy's forehead, "It's good to see you again."

"Glad to see you in one piece," Jace grumbled on a low tone when Alec sat next to him at the edge of the mattress, after smiling at Clary, on the other side. "Do you realise that I had to hear from _dad_ that you got attacked?"

"Sorry," Alec answered on the same tone, "I was exhausted and I went straight to bed."

Which wasn't the complete truth but what Jace didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right? Still, he was glad that Izzy steered the conversation to simple topics such as breakfast and which board games to play in order to brighten Max's days of rest and recovery.

It all went fairly well, Alec doing his best to sip his apple juice and eat his pastry without thinking of anything beyond this room (and definitively not of Magnus fighting the - potentially - many warlocks who had decided to cosy up to Valentine), Izzy entertaining Max with anecdotes about what had happened in the palace while he was at the hospital (leaving out the whole Iris mess but mentioning that he would have a new teacher soon, since the previous one had resigned to take care of _personal matters_ ) and Jace and Clary making ridiculous faces at each other over their mouthfuls of cereals. So yeah, it all went fairly well, until Max decided to ask a question.

"Alec, is Magnus in the palace today?" the little boy enquired, glass of juice carefully cradled in both of his hands.

"M... Magnus?" the Crown Prince repeated, a bit taken aback by his brother's sudden curiosity and feeling his heart give a painful squeeze at the mention of his lover's name. "No... He had to, uh... catch a bad guy. He left. Why?"

"Simon told me that he saved my life," Max answered, "so I wanted to thank him."

Oh. Oh crap, he was going to cry. He didn't know why, he just... got emotional all of a sudden. Perhaps it was the reminder of Magnus' perils or the obvious admiration and gratefulness in his little brother's voice... He remembered the boy's excitement when he had heard that Alec had met Magnus and while no one had revealed to the boy the exact reason of the warlock's presence by the Crown Prince's side, Alec knew all about Max's interest in High Warlock Bane. He could already tell that, should they meet, the youngest prince would love Magnus.

Alec only hoped that he would still like him once he'd know that Magnus and he were together. _Dating_ , his mind supplied happily, even though they had not yet used that term to define their relationship, nor the word _boyfriend_ \- but Alec wanted to.

Then, he realised what he had just thought about and he nearly chocked on his own spit. Did he... Did he really consider coming out to Max and telling him about Magnus? Goodness, where did it come from? Not that he... Not that he didn't wish he could eventually do that but... For the longest time, he had refused to even think about it, resigning himself to a life of celibate and a miserable wedding with a foreign princess, but now... Now he had Magnus. And it changed everything.

Maybe it was time to be honest, both with himself and others: he might not have a lot of experience in that field but he could sense it, he _knew_ that Magnus was the one. The one he would want to spend his life with, the one he would want to come out for. Well, maybe not for Magnus per se, since he would be doing it for himself in the first place, but it would make it so much easier to be with him, without needing to be cautious or hide... Yes, with the warlock by his side, Alec believed that he could do it.

Oblivious to the conversations going on around him, Alec closed his eyes for a second and allowed himself to enjoy this new feeling overwhelming him: confidence. Jace and Izzy had accepted his sexuality without even blinking. Max was young and open-minded, so there was a good chance that it wouldn't change a thing either if Alec came out to him. The identity of his boyfriend might pose more problems though, especially with Jace and his instinctive mistrust of warlocks, but he had already expressed his gratitude for Magnus when he had helped Max... Not to mention that he had also saved Alec's life the previous day so certainly Jace would start trusting him, wouldn't he?

As for his parents... They would not take it well, Alec knew that already. They wouldn't disinherit him, for the Crown would then seem like an archaic institution that refused to live accordingly with its time, but Maryse and Robert's already strained relationship with him would suffer if they didn't change their behaviour. And how would the people react? Would they accept a gay monarch? A monarch and his warlock companion nonetheless?

The unknown was still as frightening as before but for the first time in years, Alec felt like perhaps he could try. It would change his whole life with no turning back but... Didn't he deserve to be true to himself? Didn't Magnus deserve better than to stay in the shadow of a King?

Alec would need to speak about this with Magnus when he came back... The last night, they had agreed on the fact that they both wanted a future together but how would they make it happen? What did it mean for Magnus exactly, he who had another perception of time than Alec did? Would the warlock want to stay with him for as long as he wished Magnus would, since Alec was but a too young and mortal prince? Wouldn't Magnus eventually grow bored? He had no doubt about the warlock's sincerity but Alec's own demons, his own fear of ending up alone for the rest of his kingly life, were whispering poisonous words in his head: in the end, he doubted himself and his ability to make Magnus happy.

Hopefully his lover would come back to him soon and they would have time to discuss all of this properly... Alec was in desperate need of it - as well as in need of seeing Magnus. And it had merely been a few hours since his departure! He was never going to last.

The prince reopened his eyes when he felt a light tugging on the hem of his jumper and he smiled at his little brother, shifting and fidgeting so that he could get closer to him, ignoring the bickering now going on between Jace and Izzy. Only then did Alec notice the strange gleam in the child's gaze, hesitation and shame making Max unable to look at him for long.

"Hey..." Alec whispered with his best protective-big-brother voice, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the boy grumbled, "I just... I'm sorry. For what happened in the dungeons."

The prince felt his heart become as heavy as a rock upon hearing this apology, one that his brother shouldn't have to make.

"It... It wasn't your fault," he uttered, his tight throat making it difficult to speak. "You fell, that was an accident. You're not responsible for that. I am."

"No, you're not," Max protested, "I disobeyed. You told me not to go and I... I just did the total opposite."

It made sense of course, Max knew it, but Alec wouldn't change his mind even if, technically, his brother was right. Yes, the kid had thought he could get away with going back on his promise and he had paid the price for it, but Alec couldn't blame Max for it. Children did that, believing they would always be lucky, seeing the fun instead of the risk, and it helped them grow. Still, it didn't erase Alec's own responsibility in the accident: he shouldn't have allowed Max to roam the palace on his own...

However, based on his brother's expression, he knew that it would be useless to fight him on that: Max would never relent and accept that Alec's leniency had a role to play in the accident, just like Alec would never agree that the responsibility for the accident lay solely on Max's shoulders.

"It's in the past," the prince decided to say, ruffling Max's hair. "Just don't do that again. Seeing you like that... You scared me more than I can tell."

The little boy hid his face in Alec's chest then, nodding and sniffling lightly as he clutched at his big brother, his fingers tight over the wool of his clothing, and the Crown Prince ran a comforting hand up and down Max's back.

"It's all right," he whispered, "You're all right."

When he looked up, he saw that his siblings and Clary were staring at him and Max with compassionate little smiles on their faces and Alec sent them a pleading gaze for help. He hadn't meant for Max's mood to crumble like that, certainly one of the others had a way to make it better, right?

As it turned out, Jace did have an undying imagination and he was quick to come up with an idea: Max couldn't get up yet but their parents had requested a wheelchair, thus Jace suggested that they played cop and thief in the hallways of the palace - an appalling game and an even worse playground, which would have put a displeased frown on their parents' faces, so of course Max agreed. Izzy would help him manhandle the chair while Jace played the bad guy whom they had to catch.

"You go ahead," Clary said with a laugh when her boyfriend suggested she played his hostage, "Alec and I will bring the trays back to the kitchen."

Once the merry party had left the room, bodyguards in tow ( _Simon! Come, you can play Jace's hostage!_ had exclaimed Max), the prince started to gather the bowls scattered across the mattress and the bedside table, when Clary's knowing smirk made him stop.

"What?" he asked, wiping his cheeks self-consciously, "Do I have something on my face?"

"Not on your face, no," the redhead laughed, "However, your collar went down a little when Max hugged you."

Alec stared at her in confusion, eyebrows arching up. His collar... What?

"That's one impressive hickey you have on your neck," Clary simply added with amusement.

The prince paled and immediately tugged his turtleneck higher, turning beet red at his friend's comment. Shit, shit, shit.

"I... Uh, it's not... It's a b... bruise," he stammered. "Not... Not a..."

"Come on," she interrupted him with a mighty roll of her eyes. "It's okay, I wasn't going to fish for information, you know. I just wanted to suggest that you use concealer, it's easier to hide it that way than with a turtleneck."

"Uh... Thanks?" he offered in a grumble.

"You're welcome," Clary answered, looking greatly amused by his fidgeting and awkwardness. "Now, whoever you spent the night with, I hope he took good care of you. You deserve it."

"Thank you," he said again, almost automatically, until his brain caught up with Clary's actual wording.

_I hope he took good care of you_. Not _they_ , not _she_ , but _he_. Oh crap. Alec was going to faint, he could feel it, the darkness looming over his eyes. Was he being overdramatic? Perhaps Magnus was rubbing off on him.

"He?" he whispered faintly, his eyes growing wider as Clary's smile broadened as well.

"Of course, he," she confirmed, sounding so sure of herself that Alec couldn't even entertain the feeble hope that she'd made a mistake (she was a girl dating a boy, using the masculine pronouns could be a reflex, right? Well, probably not, crap) or that she had wanted to laugh at him.

"Did... Did Jace tell you?" he whispered, trying to fight the sudden anger and hurt rising at the thought.

Jace was his brother, he was supposed to keep it a secret! Not go and spill the beans, not even to Clary! But to his puzzlement, the red-haired girl shook her head.

"He didn't," she explained, "I'm surprised that he even knows. You told him?"

"And Izzy, yes," Alec said, a bit calmer. "But... If he didn't, how... How do you know? When did you..."

She chuckled and came closer to him, resting each of her hands on his shoulders and squeezing. Reassurance. Support. Acceptance. Alec could feel all of that in her gesture.

"I knew as soon as I met Jace and you," she said on a very, very soft tone, as if she expected the prince to break down. "The way you looked at Jace... It was the same way I looked at him."

Alec groaned and ran a hand down his face, feeling slightly pathetic and ashamed that his feelings for Jace had been that obvious to her.

"I'm not..." he tried, feeling the need to clarify a few things, just to be sure, "I don't... I don't feel that way for him anymore. You... You know that?"

"Yes," she answered with a small, reassuring smile, "I mean, I couldn't be sure without actually talking to you but yes, I thought I noticed the change, quite a long time ago."

She went quiet after that and busied herself with picking up the glasses of juice from their breakfast, clearly intending to put him at ease and not crowd him, only glancing at him from time to time. Whether she wanted to make sure that he was all right or expected him to suddenly reveal the name of the man who had so obviously shared his bed, Alec didn't know.

"Thank you," he said after a little while, when they left Max's bedroom together, "for the concealer tip."

"You're welcome," she replied with a bright smile and a wink, then lowering her voice so that Hodge wouldn't hear her as she added, "Next time, tell your boy to be more discreet."

Her laughter and his grumbling mixed all the way down to the kitchen, where Alec and Clary eventually parted ways: she was going to play with Max and the others - _but definitely not the damsel in distress_ , she explained, _I'd rather be the judge who puts Jace in prison_ \- while the prince would pay Raj a visit, hoping that he was awake. He would have loved to spend some more time with his siblings but he wanted to hear from his bodyguard as well, so he should go see him while he still could: he had not received word from his parents yet but he knew that it was a mere question of time before they requested his presence to this or that meeting.

As it turned out, Raj was awake, not to mention bored out of his mind, and his face lit up as soon as he saw the Crown Prince make his way into his little bedroom inside the staff quarters, a large and long building at the far end of the gardens.

"Your Highness!" the man exclaimed, squirming on his bed so that he could sit up, "What are you doing here?"

"Guess," Alec shot back with a grin, allowing himself to grab a chair in order to sit by Raj's bed. "How are you doing?"

The prince couldn't help but find it a bit strange, this unusual dynamic between them, him making sure that Raj was all right and didn't need anything, when they more often worked the other way around.

"I'm fine, all things considered," the bodyguard muttered, waving a dismissive hand in the air. "I just have to rest... A lot. Well, it could have been worse, so thank Bane for taking care of me the way he did."

"Yes," Alec agreed easily, "I'm sure it must be a relief not to deal with broken bones."

"Indeed... But I'm not sure you understand how relieved I actually am."

The prince tilted his head to the side with curiosity when he noticed the seriousness of Raj's expression and he waited, knowing that he would explain himself and not keep Alec in the dark for long.

"When that damn Catwoman attacked," he started, voice gruff, "Just before I hit the ground... I thought I had failed you. I thought that you would... die there and that I would let it happen and I..."

"Raj," Alec interrupted him before he could go on, "None of this is on you. Iris didn't exactly tell us what she was planning, did she? She used her magic, you couldn't have done much to fight her..."

"True," Raj admitted, although with great difficulty. "Hence why I am so grateful for the High Warlock's intervention."

Alec smiled at that but then, a flash of worry went through his eyes at the evocation of his lover. His bodyguard, as sharp as ever in spite of his convalescence, noticed the change in his expression and hesitated, opening and closing his mouth very quickly, not too sure that he could ask what was wrong and risk to overstep. Alec spared him the trouble.

"I'm in love with him," he said quietly.

Raj looked at him with a mix of frustration and fondness in his gaze.

"I knew that," he huffed, although not unkindly.

"And what if..." Alec started, a bit hesitant, "What would you say if I told you I was considering making our relation public? I mean, hypothetically?"

Raj snorted at that and echoed his _hypothetically_ on a slightly disbelieving tone. The prince knew that his bodyguard was not the first person he should be bringing up the topic with, Lydia and his parents should be the obvious first choice - and they would hear about it, sure, but not before he had made a final decision. Raj was in charge of his protection though, so he had a say in it as well... Beyond his role of bodyguard, the man had also grown into a friend of sorts along the years and since he already knew about Magnus and him... Why not talk about it with him?

"If you make it public," Raj finally said after a while of deep thinking, "you'll definitively get mixed reactions: girls will cry, people will be either impressed or angry, some won't care at all while others will argue that a gay prince can't inherit the throne... Many of your decisions will be overanalysed to make sure that they are _good_ decisions and don't endanger Alicante at all - which, if they do, would make up the best argument to ask for your replacement when, really, your personal life would be the main reason they have to doubt you."

Alec didn't point out that Raj hadn't said a word about the potential reaction of the King and the Queen: they both knew how that would go. The bodyguard's next words went straight to the prince's heart though:

"In the end, no matter what you decide... I'll always have your back, Your Highness."

There were good people in this world, Alec thought when he left Raj's bedroom, a small smile on his lips, and even better friends. With the support of his siblings, Clary and Raj, he felt like it wouldn't be too hard to get on with his plan... Four people didn't make a country but it was a start.

His good mood lasted through the whole afternoon, in spite of a meeting or two, but it eventually faded as soon as he entered his bedroom in the evening. His big bed looked strangely intimidating now that he was supposed to sleep there alone - and how ridiculous was that? He had spent only one night in Magnus' company and while he wished for many more, he could not yet say that he had grown used to the warlock's presence at night. Still... Alec couldn't even bear the thought of sleeping on his own right then, not when he hadn't heard from Magnus all day, not when he didn't know when he would be able to hold him in his arms again.

The couch would do.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your endless support and for giving so much love to this story, you are all amazing <3 I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go! :) Thank you so much for supporting this story so amazingly, I'm truly happy that you all like it so much! I hope this chapter won't disappoint!

  


Of course it all had to go straight to hell the next morning.

Alec was in the middle of a Court meeting that he had a hard time following when it happened. He hadn't slept well the previous night, fidgeting on his couch and nearly falling off once or twice, not to mention his dreams that hadn't given his mind much peace: as soon as his eyelids had grown heavy and came to a close for a few hours of fitful sleep, he had found himself trapped in a labyrinth, running after something, someone, _Magnus_ , always ahead of him, and no matter how hard he tried, how fast he sprinted, darting after specks of blue and flashes of golden eyes, Alec had never managed to catch up to his lover.

He didn't want to look into the hidden meaning of his dreams and yet, he couldn't help thinking about it, about the cold numbness he had felt in his limbs as he ran and ran and ran... So, he hadn't paid much attention to the topic they were discussing (something about hosting a banquet a bit before Christmas, which didn't interest him at all but was still better than planning his wedding) but when the advisors around him gasped at once, when the air started to vibrate, Alec had no other choice than to look up and search for the disturbance.

Before he knew it, he had jumped to his feet and was staring at the portal slowly opening itself in the middle of the room, heart beating fast with joy and relief: Magnus was back! He tried to fight a grin and clutched the pencil he had used to doodle on his notepad during the meeting, like a bored student in a classroom, hoping to hide his hands that shook with anticipation.

However, his smile was quickly replaced with a worried frown and a crease between his eyebrows. The portal was crackling, as if it couldn't work properly, almost like... Like the warlock behind it was too weak to handle their magic with precision, like... Like they were hurt. _No!_

"Step back!" Robert enjoined the advisors that were standing closest to the portal, "Step back! You don't know who'll walk out of that!"

To Alec's horror, all the security staff in the room took out their guns and aimed at the portal, taking the King's words to heart and coming to the conclusion that a potential threat was targeting them - and perhaps they were right, the prince realised with a gasp. What if Magnus... What if he was injured and couldn't fully control who would come back along with him? Alec hadn't heard from the warlock, he didn't know what had happened to him in the last twenty-four hours, he didn't know if he had found Valentine... But what if Valentine had been the one to find Magnus and had hurt him, coaxing him to open the portal back to Idris under torture?

The King seemed to believe that a complete stranger, an enemy, might jump out of the portal but Alec knew that it couldn't be anyone else than his lover: the magic that was struggling to open the magical door felt like Magnus', so intimately familiar to him by now, and he tried to make his father see the truth, tried to force the bodyguards back. He couldn't take the risk of having them accidentally hurt Magnus if they shot him as he marched through the portal.

"Lower your guns!" he shouted, striding forward and coming closer to the portal in spite of his mother's glance of warning, "This is Mag..."

He didn't get the time to finish his sentence: the portal suddenly threw up - quite literally - two people before it exploded with a loud bang. Alec yelped when the whoosh of air sent him toppling backward and he hit his back against a hard, oaken desk; disoriented, letting out a weak moan of pain, he glanced around and realised that he had not been the only one to take the brunt of the blow: next to him, Jeremiah and Zachariah were lying on top of each other in a mess of limbs and guns, but their training quickly kicked in.

They were back on their feet in the blink of an eye, weapons raised, joining Hodge at the centre of the room, oblivious to the shards of glass falling from the ceiling. Those came from the broken portal, Alec realised when a large piece of it nearly cut through his hand. It reflected a shattered image, something that looked like an old wall built of stone rubble, grey and large. Could it be... the place on the other end of the portal?

When he was certain that no more piece of glass would try to kill him, Alec stood up, his legs unsteady, and he helped the advisor next to him to stand as well before he turned around to face the middle of the room, heart hammering against his ribcage as he braced himself and held his breath, expecting to see Magnus injured and bloody.

The sight his eyes stumbled upon was nearly worse than that: his lover was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, two people stood, frozen on their spot, where the portal had spat them out right before it collapsed: a woman with half-long hair and next to her, clinging to the hem of her tunic, a little girl who looked utterly terrified as her wide eyes glanced all around the room and finally settled on Alec.

"Who are you?" Robert asked, carefully approaching the newcomers but making sure to stay behind his bodyguards, just in case, "How did you get here?"

These two were obviously warlocks, what with the gills messily hidden under a thin scarf that Alec caught sight of on each side of the little girl's throat, and the dark patterns, looking just like veins of black blood, spreading from the base of the woman's neck up to her forehead. Was that her warlock mark?

A few advisors seemed to have noticed the marks as well but unlike the prince, they took a frightened step backwards and started to mutter among themselves, distrust audible even in their quietest whispers.

"Your Majesties," the older warlock eventually said, voice rough as if not used to speaking anymore, and she bowed slightly in front of Maryse and Robert, "My name is Dorothea. Dot. This is Madzie."

Alec immediately recognised the name, as did everybody else in the room: the girl was Iris' niece, the one Magnus had set out to free - and he had clearly managed to do so, going as far as to open a portal to get her out of Valentine's lair. But who was Dot exactly? And what had happened to Magnus? Why was he not here with them to explain what was going on? Why... Why was Madzie still staring at the prince with intense concentration, ignoring Robert's fruitless attempt at catching her attention?

"I'm afraid we are bearers of bad news," Dot added softly, glancing from the King to the Queen.

Her behaviour seemed harmless enough but Alec didn't miss the way every bodyguard in the room tensed and tightened their hold on their guns after hearing her words, probably expecting her to turn into a furious bat or a killing demon.

"Speak," Robert enjoined the warlock with a nod nonetheless.

"I was held captive by Valentine Morgenstern for months," Dot explained calmly, although her features were suddenly marred by a cold anger and the obvious memory of pain, "and tortured so that he could force me to do whatever he wanted. Warding spells, dissimulation and so on... This is the result of the torments he inflicted on me."

Alec winced in sympathy when she pointed her forefinger to her own face and the black drawings into her skin, like tiny branches of a sick tree. Not a warlock mark, then... He felt guilty for even thinking that it could be. It didn't sway Robert into asking the bodyguards to drop their guns though, warlocks with unknown allegiances posed too much of a risk to allow such a mistake.

"Madzie joined me a few days ago," the woman added, still on the same quiet and slow tone, one that wasn't that surprising if Dot had been tortured and screaming herself hoarse for months.

"Did Valentine... hurt you?" the prince asked the child then, locking eyes with her, earning nothing but a stubborn silence for his trouble.

"He didn't," Dot supplied when it became clear that Madzie wasn't going to talk.

The older warlock eyed Alec with a subtle frown, as if she couldn't quite understand why he had even cared about making sure that the little girl was fine - or as much as she could be, given the circumstances. She probably thought that he would be like the majority of the people: wary of warlocks. If she knew... But her expression cleared after a while and she added:

"Earlier today, Magnus Bane broke into Valentine's headquarters to rescue us and he..."

"He _what?!_ " Maryse exclaimed, interrupting Dorothea, who suddenly looked exhausted at the thought that she would have to fight to make herself heard. "He finally located Valentine and he didn't tell us? That's treason!"

"Maryse!" Robert hissed when he saw the glare in Dot's eyes, "We'll settle this with him later. You know where he stands when it comes to prioritising between his people and his duty to us."

"But he..."

"Enough!" Alec cut the argument short, fed up with it already. "Dorothea, please... Go on."

There was a moment of stunned silence on all parts, warlocks, advisors and monarchs, but Alec couldn't care less about their shock or his blatant disrespect. Not only was he tired of listening to the same snide comments about warlocks, he also wanted to know what had happened in Valentine's house, what had happened to _Magnus_ , and he felt like he was going to explode if he had to wait any longer before he got some news. Yet, Dot had mentioned that she came with _bad_ news, which meant that whatever she had to say, the prince would not like it.

"Magnus rescued us," Dot repeated, now mostly addressing the Crown Prince. "He got us out of our cells and he was about to open the portal when we were attacked by Valentine's men. Magnus was... He was exhausted after fighting his way inside already and he only got weaker as he held off the others. He managed to portal us here but right before he could jump in with us, I think someone attacked from behind and knocked him out."

At her words, Alec's heart stopped for a second, then it started beating faster and harder, so hard in fact that he could hear the blood rush to his ears even as a dark veil fell over his eyes, his own heartbeat echoing painfully against his ribs. He was going to be sick. Everything he feared... had happened. Magnus was on his own in a place swarming with enemies and the prince was willing to bet that Valentine had been careful and thoughtful enough to block the warlock's magic with the same sort of shackles that Magnus himself had used against Iris.

"Is he alive?" Maryse asked abruptly, voicing the question that her son didn't dare to, although the Queen's curiosity certainly didn't come from the same concern as Alec's.

"I... I'm not sure," Dot admitted, glancing down at her feet to hide the frustrated tears rising in her eyes. "I can't feel his magic... But then again, Valentine's place is warded and you can't exactly feel _anything_ from it but... I couldn't say. I don't know what happened or _will_ happen to Magnus."

Each one of her words felt like a cold dagger tearing at Alec's insides, stabbing him in the heart; his legs grew weak and, suddenly afraid that they would give up under his own weight, he teetered towards the closest desk so that he could lean against it.

A strangled cry of shock came from one of the bodyguards, he couldn't tell which, and then Madzie was suddenly standing in front of him, looking at him with her big, unblinking eyes, and Alec had to raise his hand to still the guns now aiming at the child. Because she was just that, a kid. A warlock one, yes, but a kid all the same and the prince would not have her threatened and considered a safety hazard.

Alec was surprised when Madzie's little hand found his and held on tight; when he peered at her with curiosity, she just glued herself to his leg and didn't say a thing, content to just stay close to him. He didn't know what to do about it, helplessly looking at Dorothea and the other, dumbfounded advisors - not to mention his parents, mostly his mother, who looked about to have an aneurysm due to the proximity of the little warlock with her oldest son - when a sudden warmth ran through his body, comforting and soft, coming from his and Madzie's joined hands. It reminded him of Magnus, of the way his presence and his magic would appease him - but his lover wasn't there, he was lost somewhere in the North, in a house where Valentine was the only master, and...

His trail of thoughts abruptly stopped when a stronger wave of warmth overwhelmed him and he glanced down, only to have innocent eyes lock with his.

"Magnus' prince is sad," Madzie whispered, "And Magnus' prince can't be sad."

Alec nearly had an heart attack right there and then - how did she... How could she know about Magnus and him? Had Magnus said something, asked Dot and Madzie to watch over him while he was away? No, this could not be, it made it sound too much like a goodbye, as if his lover would never come back, as if he knew he would die at the hands of Valentine...

"Madzie..." Dot called softly, although she was growing more and more nervous with all the whispering coming from the advisors at the unusual sight or a warlock and a prince hugging. "Come, let go of His Highness."

Madzie complied but she showed regrets to do so, only lighting up a little when Alec flashed her a puzzled but genuine smile. She seemed to consider her mission of cheering him up accomplished, and she took Dot's hand again with a grin.

"I told you everything I know," the warlock then explained to the King, looking more tired than ever, and Alec had an inkling that she was still standing only thanks to Madzie, who was certainly giving her strength, like she had with the prince. "If you don't need us any longer, Madzie and I will go to a friend of Magnus'... Catarina has a place where we will be safe to recover."

She needed it, Alec thought, she needed time to heal, both physically and mentally. Beside the black marks on her face, her body didn't seem to have suffer that much, but he could not know what wounds or other marks her clothes kept hidden.

"Before you go," Maryse said, "Can you tell us where Morgenstern kept you locked up? Without Magnus Bane, you are the only one who..."

"I don't know where to find Valentine," Dot denied, interrupting the Queen with only a slight hint of embarrassment. "I was _taken_ , not invited through the big door nor given the grand tour. It's in the North, that's all I know."

"Can't you portal back there?" Maryse insisted.

She probably didn't mean to sound unkind, Alec thought, but it gave that impression anyway. Dot was clearly exhausted and in no shape to sacrifice a great amount of energy to recreate a portal.

"I can't," she merely said, not showing any anger nor exasperation as she faced the stubborn queen. "The place is warded. Magnus weakened the wards enough to get Madzie and I out but I'm nowhere as powerful as him. I'm sorry I can't help you more, I really am."

Her answer obviously didn't satisfy Maryse but she reigned herself in. This time though, Alec shared his mother's frustration: Dot had been their only hope at getting more information about Magnus' fate and where to look for Valentine... How could they help Magnus without this valuable intel?

He needed air, Alec decided. He couldn't stay in this stuffy room and worry about his lover there, among people who didn't care in the slightest about a warlock but only about Valentine and the danger he posed to the Crown. He took a few steps towards the door but when Madzie came to stand in the middle of his way, Dot and the bodyguards who would escort them out behind her, the prince stopped and crouched down to offer a smile to the little girl.

"Goodbye," she said very seriously, grabbing his hand again to give it a warm squeeze, "And remember: no sadness."

Alec nodded, still as dumbfounded as before, but Dot's words as they both watched Madzie walk away and approach the bodyguards to examine their guns at a distance surprised him even more.

"She likes you," Dot commented on a low tone. "She was so wary of other people, back there... She must feel the magic in you, it calms her."

"M... Magic?" Alec echoed, stammering, "But... I'm no warlock."

"Of course you are not," Dot chuckled, sounding this close to add _silly_ but remembering who she was talking to at the last second. "I meant _Magnus'_ magic. It runs in your veins... He protected you, didn't he?"

"You... You can feel it?" Alec asked, blushing furiously.

He had no reason to, really... But recalling the first time Magnus had shared his magic with him in order to create the base for the actual protection spell would never fail to make him flush. It seemed so far away already, yet he wanted to cherish that memory, that one and all the others, an afternoon in Tokyo, a thoughtful note offering a phone number, a kiss on the couch, a night spent tangled in the bed sheets...

"Every warlock can," Dot assured him, "It's like a huge neon sign screaming _Don't touch Alexander Lightwood_. And I can also feel that your bond to Magnus goes deeper than a protection deal only."

She cackled when Alec reddened even harder, all the way down to his neck, but she walked away before he could try to stutter out a stupid explanation that didn't involve Magnus and him. Only then did he understand the implication of Dot's words: if every warlock could feel that Magnus had set up magical barriers to protect him, why had Iris attacked him?

She should have known that she wouldn't be able to overpower the High Warlock... So what if she had done it on purpose? Attacking him to catch Magnus' attention and send him after Valentine to rescue Madzie... If she had revealed Morgenstern's plans and asked for help directly, she would have been considered a traitor, Alec realised, and Madzie would be dead by now. So, that was it? Iris' attack had been a carefully controlled way to avoid Valentine's anger and serve her purpose?

The headache was coming. Alec headed for the door again, more than willing to let the advisors and his parents lament the lack of information they had - he couldn't bear to hear over and over again how they had no means of knowing where Valentine was hiding and thus, no means to help Magnus. However, for the second time this day, Alec's progression was hindered, now by the brusque opening of the door - that missed his face by a few centimetres only.

"Apologies, Your Highness," Cleophas muttered as she entered the room and strode over to the King's and the Queen's seats, whom she addressed with urgency, "Your Majesties, I bring news regarding Morgenstern's location."

"You found him?" Maryse guessed, bewildered at the sudden turn of events.

"I didn't per se," Cleophas explained, "but I received a fire message from Magnus Bane around fifteen minutes ago, bearing coordinates. I checked them out, it's the emplacement of a mansion in the North, one that I found out belonged to Valentine Morgenstern's family."

Alec tuned out the uproar that followed her words, barely able to pay attention to the cries of _We must go after him!_ mixed to the more circumspect _This could be a trap_. All he could think of was the fact that Magnus had sent Cleophas a fire message, just after Dorothea and Madzie had jumped out of the portal, which meant... He was alive. He had to be, Alec prayed, even though such an act would probably warrant him Valentine's wrath... He wouldn't kill him, he couldn't! Strategically speaking, killing Magnus would be a bad move: now that Madzie and Dot were out of reach, Magnus was the only warlock Valentine could use and the best decision would be to keep him alive.

"Your Majesties," Cleophas said again, her booming voice rising above those of the advisors, who quickly grew quiet, "the Iron Section is ready. We await your orders."

"When do you reckon the Iron Section will be on location and ready to assault the mansion?"

"If we leave now, in two hours tops," Cleophas answered the King, "including helicopter transport and scouting of the area."

"You must be quick to decide, Your Majesties," Luke interfered after a meaningful glance at his sister, "Valentine must know that Bane sent a fire message and even if he didn't see the message itself, we must assume he guessed that Bane gave out his location. Valentine could be ready to leave as we speak."

Maryse and Robert didn't need to exchange words to understand each other, so Alec wasn't surprised when his mother spoke for the both of them:

"Captain Garroway, mission sanctioned. Permission to kill Valentine Morgenstern granted, although you should try to take him alive. We will follow your actions on screen, so keep your head cams on, as well as a secure line of communication between your Unit and Idris."

"Yes, Your Majesty. We are leaving immediately."

Cleophas turned around and walked out of the room at that neat, staccato rhythm of her, looking calm although determined, as if she wasn't about to go into battle.

"Take a break, everyone," Robert then suggested. "We meet in the war room in thirty minutes."

Anxious, Alec faced his parents before they could walk away and stopped them dead on their tracks. He was shaking all over, although not because of what he had to ask... His parents had given orders but none of those made mention of Magnus. Not a word about him, not one, not the slightest concern for their warlock ally who had put his life in danger for them. It was almost as if Robert and Maryse had forgotten about his very existence now that they had an actual chance at catching Valentine. Alec wouldn't allow it.

"I want in," he said, staring at his parents without blinking. "I want to follow Cleophas' unit on screen with you and I want a say in the process and the decisions that will be made on location."

"Fine by me," the King immediately answered, much to Alec's surprise. "You need strategic training anyway. You might as well start with this."

And without saying another word, Robert walked out of the meeting hall, shoulders tense as he readied himself for the attack and - hopefully - the arrest of Valentine, the murderer of the King's own father...

Still, Alec would not let them focus on that man and leave his lover to rot somewhere in Morgenstern's mansion. He wouldn't let anyone forget about Magnus.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to share your thoughts, your expectations and fears regarding Magnus' fate... Muhahaha~ Until next time!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your feedback on the previous chapter! Sorry for the delay with this one, it was hard for me to write since I had a lot of work to do during the past week and not enough time to write as much as I wanted. But it's there now and hopefully, you will like what happens in this new chapter!

  


The last time Alec had found himself in the war room, he could not have been more than twelve years old. He distantly remembered wanting to play a game of space pirates with Jace and Izzy, so what better playground than the war room? The numerous screens, mics, headsets, computers and buttons helped create the appropriate background for a spaceship and the three kids had brought more materials to make the most perfect crew of pirates the palace of Idris had ever seen. Curtains as capes, snacks and candies for the great feast after a newly conquered planet, and their mother's jewels as their hardly-won treasure.

Needless to say, Maryse hadn't been too pleased and in front of her anger, Alec had pinched in and taken the blame for the momentary stealing of her rings and necklaces, some of which were actually three-hundred-year-old relics of the Lightwood dynasty. Jace had been the one to _borrow_ them but not for one second had Alec considered allowing him to tell the truth: his brother hadn't been with them for long at that time and he had feared that being punished would make Jace feel like he didn't really belong - or worse, maybe Maryse would believe that she had taken in a thief and would thus send the blond boy away.

After nearly fifteen years, the war room hadn't changed much, except that the old computers had now been replaced with advanced technology - only the best for the Lightwoods, who didn't satisfy themselves with poor quality, especially not when it could make all the difference in an open war.

Also, the room was now swarming with activity, between his parents and several of their advisors discussing Valentine's fate - should he be arrested and not killed - or Luke establishing the connection between the palace and Cleophas' Unit, and the murmurs of conversations that kept the room faintly buzzing with sound. Still not a word about Magnus, though.

Alec glanced at the screens in front of him, focusing on the present instead of worrying about his lover. Well, who was he kidding, of course he worried. But all his concern and his fear wouldn't bring Magnus back. The prince wished he could do something more than just stand there and watch - if he could, he would be flying in that damn helicopter with Cleophas, ready to take down Valentine by himself and barge into his mansion to find Magnus.

But he wasn't a soldier, he knew that, even though he had received a basic military training a few years prior. Even if he was though, his parents would never allow him to join the Iron Section and fight with Garroway's Unit: the King and the Queen had gone through the trouble of getting him the protection of the High Warlock of Alicante himself, so they would never agree to send him straight into the fire after all they had done to keep him safe.

Alec could only rely on Cleophas and the Iron Section to get inside the mansion, neutralise Valentine and rescue Magnus. But what if... What if Magnus didn't make it? No, no, he couldn't think that way, he should have faith and trust his lover to resist, to fight, and he should believe that the Iron Section would arrive on time.

"Mansion in sight!" Luke exclaimed all of a sudden, making all eyes turn towards the biggest screen at the centre of the room.

It displayed a scene filmed through Cleophas' own head cam, taken from the helicopter, but even from above and in spite of the dark grey sky, they could see the Morgenstern mansion, one of its chimneys fuming, and several cars in the small park in front of the gate. Alec recognised the ashlars he had first caught sight of in the shattered piece of portal and his heart skipped a beat: Magnus was there, somewhere inside, and he prayed that the arrival of the Iron Section would not push Valentine into doing something incredibly cruel.

Alec grabbed the closest headset when he saw his parents do the same, just in time to hear Cleophas' voice, shouting so that her soldiers could hear her in spite of the noise coming from the helicopter blades.

"Thermal imaging shows more heat on the second floor, probably ten to fifteen people," she yelled as she faced her team, showing their determined faces to those who were watching from Idris, "Two or three guards on the first floor, near the front door. Other than that, we can't know where or how many they are. Satellite imagery shows one other door at the back; Beta team, you take it, Charlie will cover you. Alpha team with me, split up and keep the park safe while we get in."

The rapidity with which the soldiers obeyed and divided themselves into smaller groups could only mean that they were used to working this way and it helped Alec relax just a little, until the teams deployed from the helicopter and went on separate paths, two going East and the others West to target the doors.

As the soldiers rounded the perimeter mostly in silence, with only the occasional cracking branch or clanging riffle, Alec started to bite his nails, eyes still firmly set on the screen. Everyone else in the war room had grown silent and tense, barely daring to breathe for fear of disturbing the soldiers in action. Cleophas' head cam made them see what she did and Alec felt just as if he was on the field too, next to the Captain, running in the shadows of sad trees that had lost all of their leaves, gravel cracking under their feet as they invaded the park and crouched down behind the cars, taking cover only a short distance away from the door.

Glancing at the second part of her team, Cleophas gestured them to stay put and watch out for Morgenstern's men who would perhaps try to run away once she was inside, then she gave a strong pat to the back of a few of her soldiers, giving them the signal to go, and she followed them up close.

Entering the house was a quick process: one soldier broke down the door while two others covered her left and right, and Cleophas stormed into the hallway before the rest of the team did the same, riffles raised in front of them. Everything was quiet on the first floor and there was no light in the hall, almost as if the mansion had already been abandoned, but the cars at the front and the fuming chimney were proof enough that _someone_ was there.

"Beta, Charlie, this is Alpha One," Cleophas whispered in her mic, "We're inside. Over."

If the two other teams tried to answer by giving an update on their own location, the message was lost to them: Alec startled when the image on screen suddenly became blurry and three quick gunshots were heard, closely followed by screams, wheezes and loud thuds.

"Cleophas?" Luke called nervously when no other sound reached them for a few seconds, "Cleophas!"

"Two guards down," Cleophas' voice came then, at the same time as the screen displayed a neat image again. "Beta, what is your position? Over."

"Alpha One, we're in. All quiet on this side, we're coming to you. Over."

Alec released an anxious breath when Cleophas' team made two more steps without being attacked again, but his stomach clenched when she glanced to the left and her camera caught the two bodies lying on the ground, two men who could have seemed to be asleep, if not for the red spots blossoming on their chest. Some of the oldest advisors turned away, growing a bit pale, and Luke tensed at the reminder that this could happen to his own sister if she wasn't careful enough - or if she got unlucky.

It seemed like the gunshots had alerted the whole mansion, judging by the heavy and hurried footsteps they could hear in the distance, probably on the second floor where the thermal imaging had revealed the most heat, and Alec braced himself for the worst.

As it turned out, the worst came from a staircase on the right where Valentine's men, although surprised, had the advantage of height and they opened fire on Alpha One in the blink of an eye. The prince's horrified gasp was drowned in the shotguns and the pained cries coming from the soldiers, even as Cleophas screamed:

"Take cover!"

From the chaos on screen, they assumed Cleophas and her team rushed closer to the staircase wall to avoid the bite of the bullets, for the angle would be more awkward and Valentine's men would need to lean over the banister to shoot... And they would become more vulnerable. But a sharp cry rose from behind the Alpha team's backs and when Cleophas turned around, Alec saw that one of her soldiers hadn't made it.

"Magdalena!" the Captain screamed at the sight of her sister in arms who lay on the ground, eyes wide open but unseeing.

"Deep breath!" someone else from her team warned, just before the screen went black as Cleophas ducked her head.

Everyone in the war room in Idris held their breath, as if complying to an order that wasn't even directed to them, and they heard a swoosh and a small bang, then the image on the screen changed again and revealed the same staircase as before - save for a thick column of smoke forming a dark cloud around Valentine's henchmen, who started to cough. Smoke grenade.

Alpha team didn't waste time to react, taking advantage of the momentary blindness of their enemy: spurred on with rage and grief for their fallen comrade, Cleophas led the attack with cold fury, ordering her soldiers to shoot Valentine's followers in the legs. Unlike the two guards who had caught her team by surprise, the Captain was now aiming to incapacitate and not to kill: once it was over, who would give them information about their plans or their other safe houses if there was no survivor?

Soon, the sounds of blaring guns was replaced with moans of pain as men and women alike clutched to their wounded limbs - although a few had gotten unlucky and found the same fate as Magdalena.

"Where is Valentine?" Maryse asked, "Captain, do you see him?"

"Negative, Your Majesty," Cleophas answered, "He's not..."

She was interrupted by the sound of gunshots coming from somewhere close, yet not so close as to be seen from their spot, between the first and the second floors.

"Beta team!" Cleophas yelled in her radio, "Report! What's going on? Over!"

"A...Attack, Cap...tain!" came the erratic answer, cut every now and then by a louder deflagration, "First floor, east angle! Over!"

"Charlie, get in here and assist B-team!" Cleophas ordered, "Alpha Two, stay put! Over!"

A chorus of _Yes, Captain_ came to the ears of those who were following the action on screen. Alec wasn't the only one biting his nails anymore and the next few moments seemed to last forever, between the awful images of dead bodies as Alpha team gathered the enemy's weapons and rushed forward to rescue Beta team, and the sounds of pain when flesh got torn by furious bullets.

The prince only breathed again when Cleophas and her small team managed to reach the other part of their Unit, Beta and Charlie fighting together, and gave the final assault to neutralise all of their opponents - not without difficulty though, as soldiers fell on both sides, wounded or worse. But Cleophas' Iron Section had won the fight, although at the cost of Magdalena's life as well as another soldier's, whose name Alec had no idea of.

"Perimeter secure," the Captain finally asserted.

Her head cam took in all the bodies of Valentine's troops, some writhing and moaning in pain, others deadly still, and the prince let out a quiet but relieved sigh when he saw that Magnus wasn't among them. He had feared, for a little while, that his lover had been tied up in the same room as their opponents and that a stray bullet would find him. His relief was short-lived though, because if Magnus wasn't there, where the hell could he be? Not that anyone else wondered though, for Valentine was and would always be the top priority...

The Crown Prince came back to the situation at hand when Cleophas stopped in front of a sandy-haired man who could not be much older than Alec himself, his face still distorted in a heinous smirk in spite of the hole in his throat. The King gasped.

"Morgenstern's son..." he whispered, wide eyes staring at the big screen.

"At least we have confirmation that the Morgenstern family was there," Luke said sternly, "But what about Valentine? Cleo, is he among the dead?"

"Negative," she answered, "No sign of him. We have prisoners though, they might give us the information we need. Alpha One to Papa, request permission to extract captives."

"Permission granted," Robert immediately agreed, looking disappointed that Morgenstern himself wasn't among the lot. "We'll send in a team to clean up the mess and search for files and intelligence. Maybe it will give us something on Valentine that will help catch him, this time around."

That was it, Alec thought with bitter sadness. Cleophas' mission was over and no one cared about the warlock who had given them the coordinates to this mansion in the first place. He was about to say something, or maybe yell or slam a hand down the nearest table and smash a tablet, but before he could give in to any of that, a cracking noise came from Cleophas' ear set.

"Alpha One, this is Alpha Two! We got Morgenstern, I repeat, we got Morgenstern! Over."

Everybody's eyes shot back up to the screen after hearing those words and Alec's heart started to beat a little faster because if this was true, then maybe they would know where he had taken Magnus. Perhaps he was in the mansion - had they checked all floors? The basement or the attic? Surely that huge house had either or both of those...

"Captain, do you confirm Valentine's arrest?" Maryse barked.

"On my way to check, Your Majesty," Cleophas answered, already turning around and going back on her footsteps to get down the stairs.

Alec felt a bit dizzy as she ran and the head cam shook, jolted with every quick-paced step Cleophas took, until she passed the dead guards in the hall again and stepped out of the mansion, into the park. And then Alec saw him.

Valentine, on his knees, with a gun between his two eyes and surrounded by victorious soldiers. Next to them, a second man lay dead on the ground, probably one of Morgenstern's followers who had not shared the same lucky fate as his leader - if a life of imprisonment and trials could be considered a good fate.

Alec had never seen any picture of Valentine Morgenstern before but he hadn't expected him to look so... mundane. He could have slipped unnoticed in a crowd, which was perhaps the reason why he had never been arrested before, since he lacked the large, fear-inducing body frame and square shoulders or the tattoos screaming murder and revenge that Alec associated with ruffians and criminals. However, there shone an undeniable gleam of madness in Valentine's eyes, one that the prince felt uncomfortable looking at for too long. The man didn't even blink when a soldier explained to his Captain how they had caught him as he tried to run away, while his followers created a diversion.

"Papa, arrest confirmed, over," Cleophas announced then, although a bit uselessly since everyone could see the man himself on the big screen, then she addressed Alpha Two. "Keep both eyes open and bring him back to the helicopter. He's sly and cunning so be careful he doesn't give you the slip."

Her soldiers nodded and roughly brought Valentine to his feet, grabbing him under his arms to half-support and half-drag him to the spot where their transport was waiting.

"Alpha One to Papa," Cleophas said again, "Mission over, prisoners will be led to helicopter. Permission to go back to base?"

His parents were certainly going to say _yes_ , to allow the Iron Section's return, but Alec's blood was boiling in his veins and he spoke before the King or the Queen could even open their mouth.

"Permission denied," the prince said, loud and clear, making all eyes turn to him.

He didn't care about the sudden attention and the obvious shock going through the surprised gazes weighing on him; he didn't fear them, didn't even mind them: he was born to lead one day and this, speaking in public and taking decisions that would not please everyone, was only what his duty would ask of him, come his days as King.

"Y... Your Highness?" Cleophas stammered, waiting for new orders and trying to hide how thrown off she felt by the prince's unexpected intervention.

"Alec?" Maryse growled, "What are you doing?"

"Captain," the prince said, choosing not to answer his mother's question directly and picking his words carefully, struggling ( and probably failing) not to betray how important this new mission was to him, on a personal level. "Go back inside and search the mansion. From what Dorothea told us, you should find a prisoner of Morgenstern's and I won't have you leave without him, I won't let Magnus rot in some lonely room and..."

"Magnus... Bane?" Robert clarified, a bit startled.

"Yes!" Alec exclaimed with a roll of his eyes, displaying the extent of his frustration in hopes to hide the slight panic growing inside him - because he had just realised that he had called Magnus by his first name only, something that no one among the Court did. "Yes, Magnus Bane, or did you forget about him?"

"Of course not," Maryse quipped, glaring at her son to convey a message that meant _you're taking too many liberties_ or something of the like.

"Good," Alec shot back, "So there is no problem looking for him and bringing him back, is there? He helped so much, he protected me, literally _saved my life_ , gave you Valentine's location, he..."

"All right, all right, we get it," his mother stopped him, under the advisors' dumbfounded eyes at the Crown Prince's outburst, and then she spoke to Cleophas. "Captain Garroway, you heard my son. Look for the warlock. Bring him back."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

She turned back toward the mansion and Alec followed every single one of her steps with rapt attention, feeling his hands shake and grow damp now that the adrenaline had worn off and let his worry rush back in - what if they were too late? What if Magnus wasn't even there anymore? What if...

Alec nearly jumped out of his skin when Luke came to stand beside him, sporting a tiny smile, and whispered very, so very quietly:

"You did a good thing."

"Thanks," Alec mumbled, suddenly shyer than before, a bit afraid of what Luke would say next - because he wasn't done, was he?

"I don't think I've ever heard or seen any royal treat warlocks with the concern you showed Dorothea and Madzie today, or the care and respect you just expressed for Magnus Bane."

"So?" the prince shot back, a little defensively perhaps, but Luke's smile only grew.

"So, I was thinking... You are going to become a King I will gladly serve, when your day comes."

The prince's eyes grew wide with surprise, which in turn made the advisor grin and pat his shoulder with mirth before he walked away to reclaim his spot at the King's side. Well... Alec, too, would gladly keep Luke as his advisor in the future. However, now was not the right moment to think about the days ahead of them but rather about the current situation.

By the time the prince drew his attention back to the big screen, Cleophas had dispatched a team to look for an attic - of which they found the door, that they managed to open, but the thick layer of dust they upset as soon as they stepped inside the abandoned room was indication enough that no one had been there in a very, very long time. Years, most likely.

Cleophas and a few fellow soldiers got luckier as they searched for a basement. The door was closed by a lock with engraved runes, probably meant to block magic and keep warlocks out - or in, Alec thought bitterly. A well-aimed gunshot was all it took to smash the lock and the door then opened easily, giving way to a short and narrow staircase.

The head cam was still filming and Alec recognised the disposition of the room Cleophas stepped in as the typical disposition of ancient dungeons: a long corridor with cells on each side, old and rusty bars delimiting and keeping one cell separate from the other. The Captain walked on, glancing left and right to check the tiny rooms, looking for Magnus.

Most of those cells were empty but a few turned out to be tombs, rather than prisons, and a presentiment of doom fell upon Alec when he caught side of bones and, in one cell, of the body of a young horned-warlock who couldn't have died more than a few days prior.

Only when Cleophas reached the cell at the far end of the corridor did she fully stop. Alec barely dared to look, scared of what he would see, scared to find out that Magnus would never come back to him, scared that he would have to mourn his first love, but Cleophas words made him look anyway.

"It's him," she said calmly.

Nothing in her voice suggested that he had to fear the worst but her flat tone didn't hold any comfort either, so Alec braced himself and raised his head. For a second, his heart grew quiet and his world stopped turning as he took in the sight in front of him. He couldn't _not_ recognise Magnus, who was wearing his burgundy coat, even without actually _seeing_ him.

The warlock was lying on his side on the cold stone ground and facing away from Cleophas and her camera, his hands cuffed behind his back. He lay so still that Alec, unable to tell whether his lover was breathing, felt his heart shatter in a million pieces. His throat tightened and he tried to stay calm - but how could he, when Magnus was... No. No, no, no. He couldn't be. The prince wanted to yell, shout to Cleophas that she had to get closer, to make sure that Magnus was still alive - he was, he _had_ to be - but not a single word managed to come out of his dry mouth. Alec wasn't even sure that _he_ was breathing, for every attempted gulp of oxygen felt like liquid fire burning down his throat.

In the end, someone must have asked of Cleophas what he could not himself, for she crossed the room to kneel next to Magnus' body. The short time it took her to do that seemed to last an eternity and with every step, every inch of distance that she closed, Alec felt like he was dying, lungs burning, bile rising in his throat. If she looked down and he had to witness the lifeless expression in Magnus' eyes... He would not survive it.

"He's unconscious," Cleophas said. "Unconscious but alive. Probably got drugged."

"Bring him back."

The Crown Prince barely noticed that he was the one who had whispered these words, too out of it to really pay attention. He just knew that Magnus was alive and that he needed to see him, to touch him, make sure that he was truly still a part of this world, of Alec's world.

He tried to watch Cleophas and another soldier carry Magnus out of his miserable cell but when the screen grew blurry, when he had to blink away his tears, the prince stepped back and collapsed on the nearest chair, emotional exhaustion finally catching up with him. He didn't even care that people might stare at him and whisper behind his back that he had grown too attached to the warlock in charge of his protection. He was tired. So, so tired. He wished Magnus was back in the palace so that they could go to sleep together, holding each other close under the blankets, safe in a bubble of happiness and serenity.

The tension in his body only somewhat receded when Cleophas strapped Magnus to a seat in the helicopter, away from Valentine and the five soldiers watching him closely.

"All set, Your Majesties," Cleophas announced once everyone was back, prisoners and soldiers alike, "Iron Section, ready to go. Over."

_Over_. Finally. Now, all Alec had left to do was wait and count down the minutes until he could hold Magnus in his arms and tell him, over and over, how much he loved him. Waiting had never seemed so hard before.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to give me your thoughts and opinions in the comments :) Have a nice week!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! As promised on my tumblr, here comes the 19th chapter :) It's a bit longer than usual, hopefully you won't mind... Enjoy!

  


Just because Alec's greatest desire was to see Magnus and hold him in his arms forever, of course fate took its sweet time to grant his wish. The next few days were crazy and the prince, should Magnus have been there, doubted that he would actually have found even just one second to spend with his lover.

Valentine was in jail while he awaited trial but that didn't mean that the Crown Prince could enjoy himself until it started. No, Alec had to attend several meetings a day instead, all with the same purpose: dealing with the aftermath of Morgenstern's plans and discussing the stability of Alicante... Which meant securing the Crown and thus, tentatively broaching the topic of Alec's marriage again.

 _Tentatively_ was the right word, the prince thought with a snort as he entered the Gothic Salon for yet another meeting, nearly at break of day. After his outburst during the Iron Section's intervention, Alec had noticed that several advisors, even his parents, were growing hesitant to suggest ideas that would not please him... And they damn well knew that their Crown Prince had showed very little interest in a wedding before. Besides, they still thought that he had broken up with his secret girlfriend and most of them didn't dare to steer him in the direction of the altar.

While he was busy attending this or that meeting and avoiding every discussion about getting married, Magnus was... away. Alec hadn't even been able to see him when the Iron Section had returned: the Unit had dropped him off at Catarina's place, the warlock that Dorothea had mentioned during her short time in Idris. From what the prince understood, Magnus and she were friends, good friends even, and not knowing what torments Valentine had inflicted on him, Cleophas had deemed it wiser to send the High Warlock some place safe, where a fellow magic-wielder would take care of him properly. While Alec grasped her point and agreed with the Captain, he could not help but regret Magnus' absence still.

Three days had passed, without a single word from his lover... Alec didn't even know whether Magnus had awoken from his drugged slumber.

The only good news in the mess that his life had turned into was Raj's return: thanks to Magnus' careful healing, the bodyguard had quickly recovered and after some more rest, he had been cleared for duty and allowed to join Alec's side again.

A chance, really, for it felt good to have at least one person with him who knew exactly what was going on between Magnus and he... One person who would not wonder why the prince checked his phone more often than usual and let out sad sighs once he saw no new message. Was it ridiculous? Preposterous, to worry so much about someone who was out of danger?

Perhaps it _was_ absurd, yes... But Alec had never been in love before and Magnus and he had been separated for too long, not to mention under trying circumstances, so he would not apologise for his eagerness to be reunited with his lover.

Alec was settling in for a meeting with one of Alicante Secret Police units to get a fresh update on the situation when his phone started to ring; his heart leapt in his chest when he read the name displayed on the screen and he didn't think twice before answering the call, stepping aside to protect this private conversation from prying ears.

"Magnus," he breathed out as soon as he swiped his thumb across the surface of his phone and glued it to his ear in a swift move.

"Alexander... Hi," came the tired reply, although there was an unmistakably joyful lilt to the warlock's words.

"H... Hi," the prince stammered with emotion, "It's... It's so good to hear your voice."

Magnus let out a quiet laugh and Alec felt like he was going to cry. This was the first time in days that he was so close to his lover, albeit not physically so, and the first time since Magnus had left Alec alone in bed that he heard his voice. The first time he had actual proof, other than an image on a screen blurred by his tears, that his lover was alive, breathing, and still thinking of him.

"Sorry it took so long to reach you," Magnus said softly, "but I'll be back soon, I promise. I wasn't too good until yesterday night but I feel better now and I..."

"You don't have to apologise," Alec interrupted him gently, "nor to justify yourself. I'm just, I... I'm so glad you're... Magnus, I thought..."

He trailed off, unable or maybe unwilling to explain the fears that had plagued him before the warlock was saved, yet his lover didn't need to hear his words to understand his meaning.

"I'm fine, Alexander, I promise," Magnus told him, his voice like a soothing caress on his scared heart. "I'll be at the palace this afternoon, you'll see."

"For Valentine's first hearing, right?" Alec guessed.

"Yes. But I swear we will make time for us."

 _Us_. What a wonderful word, one that held many promises... So the prince nodded, remembering too late that Magnus could not see him, but then he had to excuse himself quickly when Victor Aldertree, head of Alicante Secret Police, made his entrance and signalled the beginning of the meeting. Although disappointed that he'd had to end his call so soon, Alec relaxed a little as he took his seat: it had been brief but his short exchange of words with Magnus had comforted him, even as it made him all the more impatient for their actual reunion.

Before he could wrap Magnus in his arms though, he had to focus on Victor's explanations about his investigation. Even in jail Valentine kept being a pain in the ass as he wasn't collaborating and refused to speak at all, so Aldertree rather told the Court about the files his agents had found while searching the Morgenstern mansion - some of which included compromising information about high-ranking officials in Alicante as well as in other nations.

"This looks like potential blackmail," Victor was saying, "so I suggest my teams question all involved dignitaries, just to be sure of who got in touch with him - or didn't."

"Agreed," Robert answered. "If anyone helped Valentine in any way, I want to know about it. Send your reports as often as you can and forward all crucial information to the Queen."

"Noted," Aldertree said with a nod as he scribbled something onto a leather-bound notebook. "Also, about Morgenstern's allies..."

And on and on it went, about reinforcing controls at the airports, securing Valentine's cell even more than it already was and some other matters that Alec felt a bit less worried about. Sure, some of Morgenstern's followers were hiding and it was important to find them but... Without their leader, would they try anything? Attempting to break him out of jail would be stupid, judging by Aldertree's security measures around the prison, and with Valentine's son dead... The rebellion had probably died with him.

"May I also suggest that we keep a close eye on the Frays?" Aldertree then proposed, shaking the prince out of his thoughts. "As his ex-wife and his daughter, Jocelyn and Clary Fray might hide some of Valentine's people, which..."

Luke jumped to his feet before the agent could blink, threats glinting in his eyes and his face marred by a furious frown.

"I assure you, Victor," Luke growled, "that neither Jocelyn nor Clary have been in touch with Valentine during the past twenty years. Nor have they given any reason to suggest they were plotting against the Crown. So I would watch my words if I were you."

"You are too involved in this," Aldertree scoffed, "You don't necessarily see the truth and..."

"I will vouch for Clary and Jocelyn Fray," Alec interfered, standing up in a calm and composed move. "They are trustworthy. I suggest you don't imply otherwise."

The head of the Secret Police swallowed back his retort in front of the Crown Prince and merely grumbled his assent, although it was clear that he wasn't convinced. Alec half-expected Aldertree to pretend that he wasn't objective by bringing up the rumour of a relationship going on between Clary and he but to his surprise, the agent remained quiet.

This meeting lasted long enough that by the time it was finally over, the Court only had one hour or so to spare before they were all supposed to attend Valentine's first official hearing. Starving, Alec darted to the kitchen, hoping to find his siblings there and enjoy some quality time with them as they ate together, so he was disappointed when he walked into the room only to find it empty. He resigned himself to a lonely lunch, only perking up when Raj accepted his invitation to sit down and grab a bite with him, and then it was time to go again.

If Alec appeared to be in a hurry as he walked along the corridors of Idris, who could blame him? Magnus had said that he would be there and the prince didn't intend to deprive himself of even one second in his presence. He also wanted to see for himself that Magnus was okay, truly okay, not just saying that he was fine for his lover's peace of mind. He wanted to look into the warlock's eyes and _see_ : Magnus' exhaustion, his pain, his fear or perhaps his hurt pride, Alec wanted to see all of it and be there for him when he needed him to. Maybe he would not detect anything, because there was _nothing_ to see... Magnus was a powerful warlock so maybe he was alright, after all. But just because he had his magic didn't mean that he couldn't be hurt and Alec would be damned if he didn't support his lover in his recovery.

He only regretted that their long-awaited reunion would take place in this sort of official gathering: there would be no time for comforting kisses and gentle whispers, not in front of the whole Court, Valentine himself and a fair amount of policemen, not to mention the High Magistrate Herondale.

When he entered the Baroque Salon, bigger than its gothic counterpart and thus more suitable for this hearing, Alec didn't pay much attention to the people already standing or sitting there. He heard his mother's voice, telltale sign that his father couldn't be far away, and noticed that Morgenstern and his escort hadn't arrived yet but that was it. He didn't analyse the rest of his surroundings much, for his gaze zeroed in on a special person - _his_ special person.

Before he knew it, Alec had crossed the room to stand closer to Magnus, alone by the bright fire burning in the hearth to warm up the Salon, freezing by this time of the year. Raj followed, subtly but deliberately positioning himself right behind them so that they could stay somewhat hidden, and facing away from them to grant them what little privacy he could.

"Hey," Alec said gently, a bit shy now, unsure of what to say after what had happened to his lover.

"Hi," Magnus answered on the same tone, fondness dripping from this word alone, before it gave way to amusement as he added, "Your Highness."

Faced with Alec's puzzlement at the greeting, the warlock winked and flashed him a smile.

"I've been told this was a very formal gathering," he explained, "and I might or might not also have been told to behave appropriately, addressing people by their formal titles and all that jazz."

"Oh. My mother?" Alec wondered.

"No, Starkweather," Magnus answered with a grin, motioning towards Hodge who was standing guard at the door.

Alec chuckled but his quiet laughter died before long as he looked back at the warlock, once again blaming the circumstances that kept him from embracing Magnus as he wished. Glancing at Raj who was still hiding them conveniently, Alec decided to be bold. Slowly, as if the prince expected to be struck by lightning at any time, his fingers found Magnus' hand. The simple touch of his fingertips on the warlock's warm skin made him want to cry in relief, both because Magnus was truly there and because he didn't shy away from him, going as far as to entwine their fingers.

"I missed you," Alec eventually whispered, eyes soft and loving while he gazed at Magnus, taking in his handsome but tired features as if it was the last time he saw him - and after all this, the prince would not take his warlock for granted: anything and everything could happen, so he was going to relish every single second of his time with Magnus and admire him to his heart's content.

However, the Crown Prince was forced to bring his attention to other matters when Valentine entered the Salon, along with Aldertree's agents. The silence that fell over the room was tense, heavy, and Morgenstern smiled at the obvious effect that he had on people, still smirking as two agents led him toward a lone chair at the centre of the half circle drawn by the Court's seats. Valentine didn't even stop smiling while the agents cuffed each of his wrists to the armrests.

Alec was intrigued, he would not deny it. How did one become a criminal when they were a royal advisor at the beginning? Was Valentine crazy, as some believed him to be? But if he wasn't, what had happened to make him snap, plot the ruin of Alicante not once but twice? He wasn't looking for excuses to justify Valentine's behaviour, far from it after what he had done to Magnus, but he wondered, he wanted to understand. Perhaps there was nothing to understand, though.

The High Magistrate Herondale officially opened the hearing by enunciating Valentine's crimes - and they were many, from King Andrew's murder to the attempted assassination of the Crown Prince, not to mention the abduction of warlocks, their torture and, in one case, killing.

"His name was Elias," Magnus whispered to Alec, sitting next to him. "He was young, barely seventy years old... A baby in most warlocks' eyes."

Alec didn't know what to answer to that. Should he tell Magnus that he was sorry? The words seemed empty, too common, so the prince didn't say them and instead, he caught his lover's hand under the table, cautious but not nervous. All eyes were set on Valentine, no one would check what the Crown Prince or the High Warlock were doing... Alec was rewarded when Magnus squeezed his hand in return, grateful for the silent support.

Soon though, they had to let go of each other as the warlock was asked to testify and tell how he had been caught by Valentine's men. Magnus stood up and walked to the centre of the room, graceful and still immensely powerful in spite of the clear fatigue around his eyes; after a dark glare Morgenstern's way, he started to speak.

He started by reminding the Court of Iris Rouse, who had begged him to save her niece, Madzie, and told them about his knowledge of a family mansion up in the far North of Alicante - subtly making sure to let slip that he had found the information in the Archives where he had spent a good part of the past weeks, so that Luke's former connection to Valentine would not be discussed.

"I weakened the wards enough to enter the mansion," he explained, sounding oh so serious, before he added with mischief, "but I won't bore you with details about magic that you would not understand."

Alec nearly snorted at the playful and mocking tone that would certainly irk Hodge - and the Queen - beyond measure but he managed to hold it in, coughing lightly instead. However, Magnus' voice lost all hint of laughter as he told the Court how he had saved Dorothea and Madzie but had been too late for Elias. The prince wondered if he was the only one to hear the guilt in Magnus' words for failing one of his own, even though he was not responsible for the young warlock's death. He hadn't even known about the kidnappings before Iris' revelations.

"By the time I tried to open the portal back to Idris," Magnus added, "Valentine's men had realised that something was off. They found us and attacked. Madzie was too scared and Dot too weak to fight in any way - so I did. Tried to hold them back and portal us at the same time but... Coming back while my magic targeted these people was too dangerous, they could have portalled back with us. So I decided to stay behind and send a fire message to ask for backup. I had the time to portal Dot and Madzie before Morgenstern Junior came up behind me and..."

Magnus trailed off, now looking furious as he recalled the events and the feeling of being powerless, and he said:

"I don't know how he did it, I don't what he used... A sort of taser, I guess, except that as soon as he got me, all my magic went out. Briefly, but still long enough for him to handcuff me so that my powers were blocked when they came back."

When Alec glanced at Valentine, the man was smirking again, apparently delighted by the tales of his son's exploits. A son now dead, yet there was not a hint of regret or sadness in his eyes. It suddenly reminded him of his mother and her behaviour toward her children, then the thought immediately made him feel guilty. Of course his mother would be destroyed if anything happened to any of them - Max's accident had showed as much - and she loved them, all of them, in her own complicated way. Yet, she would not bat an eye if Alec had to marry a woman he didn't know nor love, she would not try to reinforce Jace's position in the royal family, she would not try to show Isabelle that a princess could love, laugh and live her life to the fullest while still being considered worthy of her family, of her country. Max had gotten luckier than any of them, thankfully.

"Before the Iron Section got to you, were you hurt, Warlock Bane?" the High Magistrate asked, bringing Alec back to the present, "Tortured?"

The prince frowned, worried to hear his lover's answer, and he was not pleased by the too light tone used to question Magnus. As if Herondale didn't care about the implications of a positive answer... And perhaps she didn't, indeed, and only asked to have more and more reasons to put Valentine in a cell for a long time. But Alec would show them one day, he would show them that warlocks were citizens of Alicante just like the others, that they deserved the same respect, the same rights. It was time to build bridges between the two communities.

"I wasn't," Magnus answered, to Alec's relief, "but I think it was just a question of time before they started. Valentine asked me to work for him, which I refused... So he thought it would be a good idea to drug me, to, I quote, _make me more compliant_."

Magnus grew quiet then, only glaring some more at Valentine before he turned around and marched to his seat next to Alec.

"Thank you, Warlock Bane," the High Magistrate said, "Valentine Morgenstern, do you have anything to add to this?"

He didn't, as it turned out, and he leaned back in his chair with that horrible smile still in place; Valentine looked as if he already knew what his fate would be and didn't care about it in the slightest, happy to infuriate them all a bit more with his nonchalance.

After that, more people were called to testify, mostly people who had known Valentine when he was one of King Andrew's advisors - and Aldertree, who had kept quiet in a corner of the room until then, suggested that the Duchess of Fray should be there as well, which made Luke groan and roll his eyes. The hearing lasted far too long for Alec's tastes but finally, Robert called it a day and Valentine was taken back to prison, under the watchful supervision of Aldertree's agents.

Suddenly joyous - they were done, they were free to go and they would finally take some much needed and deserved time for themselves - Alec turned to Magnus with an openly hopeful expression. However, his lover's crestfallen face was enough to make him understand that their true reunion would not take place so soon.

"I'm required for a warlock meeting this evening," Magnus whispered, lightly covering Alec's knee with his hand. "My pairs are worried about more warlocks being captured and tortured, or experimented on. Elias was... No one noticed his disappearance, nor Dorothea's. Warlocks wander and go as they please, it is hard to keep track of everyone... We have to discuss that issue."

"I understand," Alec said, not without sadness, and his gaze dropped to Magnus' comforting hand.

His heart beat painfully in his chest. They were so close, literally touching, yet they seemed so far away from each other... But as a leader, as the High Warlock of Alicante, Magnus had duties and responsibilities, something that Alec knew and understood better than anyone else. The prince would not stand between Magnus and his people, just like the warlock wouldn't stand between Alec and his own. That didn't mean that they wouldn't find the time nor their way back to each other... And Magnus was quick to ensure that:

"Meet me tonight, at ten," he whispered, leaning in so close to Alec that his lips briefly brushed his ear, "It's been a while since I've seen Queen Adamas."

Alec let out a giddy laugh when he understood the code and he nodded, suddenly feeling less sad than excited by Magnus' imminent departure. The sooner he left, the sooner he would come back, wouldn't he? Still, not too keen to see him go, Alec walked him to the entrance of the Baroque Salon. He had to keep his hands to himself instead of placing one on the small of Magnus' back, had to refrain from kissing him goodbye, only hanging onto the hope that later at night, they would finally get to revel into each other's presence.

"Magnus!" Maryse called before they could go their separate ways, "Wait!"

Alec and Magnus turned to her like one man, both coming to a stop and staring at her with arched up brows as she approached them. The prince remained oddly calm, even though part of him thought that perhaps she had caught their secretive smiles and gentle touches - but that part of him wasn't screaming nor dying to run away, so did that mean... Did that mean that he was ready? Ready to come out and be seen as himself, without any mask?

"Robert and I want to express our gratitude," she said quickly, sounding a bit bitter though, as if saying those words brought her great pain, "We thank you for your help in catching Valentine, help that... Alec made us see more clearly, in his own way. Now that this is over, or almost, you don't _have_ to protect Alec anymore but... We would be grateful if you could keep in place whatever barriers you put up for his protection against magical attacks."

"Of course," Magnus answered easily, winking at Alec. "Alexander's safety is of the utmost importance to me."

Maryse frowned, unsure of the way she should interpret the warlock's words: was he making fun of her behind a facade of politeness and concern for the Crown Prince or was he genuine? She decided not to dwell on that problem any longer and added in that terse tone of hers:

"We will host a little party next week to celebrate Valentine's demise - officially though, this will be a Christmas party, since our people know nothing about the recent events. More like a ball, to be accurate. Something quiet, not too many people...A hundred guests, no more. Robert and I expec... _hope_ that you will attend."

Alec blinked, surprised by the invitation of sorts, but there was no greater shock than Magnus'. Did the Queen really just request his presence to an official event in Idris, without any hidden agenda, no other purpose than thank him for his good deeds? Well. Miracles did exist, after all.

"I... will be there, of course," Magnus stammered, his usual banter gone, along with Maryse's hostility. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," the Queen grumbled - and if Alec didn't know his mother, he would say that she felt uncomfortable - before she turned to her son. "Alec, this ball will be Max's first official appearance by our side. I trust you to keep an eye on him and help him navigate through our guests."

"Of course."

"Good," his mother said to close the discussion, before she turned around and walked away.

"Well..." Magnus started. "That was... weird."

"But a good weird, right?" Alec shot back with an hesitant smile. "At least you're not yelling at each other anymore..."

"True," Magnus chuckled, then flashed his lover an apologetic smile, "I really have to go now, I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry," Alec said, feeling lighter than he had for the past few days, not even afraid anymore that perhaps Magnus would not come back. "Go. I'll... I'll be waiting for you."

The warlock smiled, a fond curve of his lips as he gazed at his lover, and he blinked slowly, allowing his glamour to slip in order to unveil his golden eyes. Alec grinned, delighted at the intimacy of this move, something that only belonged to them and that no one else would understand, should they look at them in this very same moment.

He wished he could reply in kind but the only answer he managed to think of could not be said in this room, around so many people. Those were three little words that he wanted to say while gazing into Magnus' golden orbs, when they would be alone, together, uncaring of the outside world.

So, Alec let Magnus go, vanishing in a rainfall of golden sparks that, like a child, he tried but failed to catch in his hand.

Waiting had become something akin to a routine, lately. Waiting for Max's return from the hospital, waiting for his daily meetings with Magnus, now counting down the hours that separated him from their tryst... Alec could say without lying that he had become an expert at waiting and thus, he didn't need to think for long before he found something to busy himself until ten o'clock.

All evening though, he kept replaying Magnus' words in his mind, the way he had whispered in his ear, telling him to meet him by Queen Adamas' side. Of course the prince remembered the day Magnus had scared him, jumping out of a portal behind his back, and they had ended up talking and walking aimlessly around the palace, eventually straying into the gallery where hung the portraits of the former kings and queens of Alicante.

It was not yet ten o'clock by the time Alec stumbled in that same gallery, heart beating too fast already as he glanced ahead, looking for Magnus. Warmth filled his chest when he saw that yes, his lover was there, standing in the shadows like a statue with his back to him, and Alec melted. He remembered just in time to first turn around and face Raj before he ran toward Magnus, and he was aware that the smile he shot his bodyguard was all sorts of ridiculous - he didn't care, he was too happy for that.

"Take the night off," he suggested to Raj, who was staring at his prince with soft eyes, so obviously content to witness his joy that Alec wondered what he had ever done to deserve such a kind and caring bodyguard. "I certainly intend to."

Raj spluttered in surprise and laughed, shaking his head with fondness as he whispered _Good night then, Your Highness_ , and left the gallery.

When he could not hear any other sound than his own heartbeat and breath, Alec turned to Magnus. The warlock had heard him and Raj of course, wheeling around to face his lover, waiting with a smile. Neither of them knew who took the first step, who started to run, but suddenly they were in each other's arms, kissing after days of separation and worry. Alec cupped Magnus' face with care, almost expecting him to break if he held on too tight, but the thought didn't last for long.

In fact, his faculty to think at all shattered when Magnus bit his lips, unconscious roughness and despair mixing together in his desire to deepen their embrace, and the prince broke. It felt like their first kiss all over again, clumsy and eager, uncontrolled, lacking in finesse and technique - not that either of them cared much.

No, all they cared about was each other, the warmth of their mouths, kissing, teasing, nibbling, and Alec was growing dizzy with the need for air, yet he didn't want to push Magnus away. So he didn't. Instead, he drew Magnus in closer, looping his arms around his waist, bringing their bodies flush against each other. The warlock smiled into their kiss at Alec's boldness, making the prince blush, and he parted from him long enough to wink before he took the next step.

Alec gasped when two hands grabbed him under his thighs and lifted him up, backing him against a marble column in the gallery. He automatically wrapped his long legs around the warlock's waist to support himself and Magnus' arms flexed as they gripped him, a sudden display of strength that turned him on more than he would have imagined. It left him hungry for more, craving anything that Magnus could offer him, and he felt himself grow hard between their bodies.

"M... Magnus," he stammered, not quite begging yet, not even sure of what he wanted to say. "Magnus..."

"Shhh..." the warlock whispered, pecking his lips gently, joyful laughter dancing around his eyes. "I'm here, Alexander... I'm not going anywhere."

If one asked Alec to explain what happened then, he would not know where to begin to tell how the heated mood suddenly vanished. Magnus' words were everything he needed to hear, a comforting promise that nothing would happen to his lover, to _them_ , and next thing he knew, the prince was sobbing quietly on his shoulder.

"Alexander..."

"S... Sorry," Alec sniffled without lifting his head, all inhibitions gone for now, "I... I missed you so m... much, I... Seeing you lying in that cell, I was so scared, I never felt that... that type of fear before..."

His breathing hitched when Magnus moved one of his hands to his head, stroking his hair in light touches that helped Alec relax just a bit. He kissed his lover's neck once, twice, then he felt brave enough to look up and place a salty kiss on his parted lips.

"I love you," he whispered against the warlock's mouth, unafraid of these words he had never said aloud to anyone before, "Magnus, _I love you_."

Magnus' embrace tightened around him and when their eyes met, liquid gold and teary but appeased hazel, he shook his head lightly while a small smile played at the corners of his mouth, as if Alec's words were an incredible gift, one he had never dared think he would be worthy of.

"I love you too," he answered in a breath.

Still wrapped around Magnus, Alec surged forward and was met halfway through by his lover's lips, crashing against each other like two strong waves that slowly became one, even more powerful, in the middle of a stormy ocean.

Soon, in between deep kisses and slow but more and more heated caresses, Magnus suggested that he portalled them to his own place, where no one would bother them, promising to bring him back to the palace in the morning, and Alec's heart fluttered as he accepted.

Soon, he lay naked at the centre of Magnus' bed, above golden sheets of satin and underneath the man he loved, arousal running through their veins, and the warlock then proceeded to undo him with every light touch, every slow drag of his fingertips across his inner thigh, every teasing lick along his erection that made his slender body writhe and squirm, his fingers twitching to grab at the sheets and anchor himself.

Alec crumbled in Magnus' arms with quiet cries of his name and panted _I love you_ answered in kind, and the prince felt like he was dying with every deep roll of the warlock's hips, only to come back to life over and over again as Magnus made love to him.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you liked Alec and Magnus' reunion :) More Malec to come in the next chapter, which will probably come around next Friday. Until next time!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! You apparently really liked the previous chapter, I hope you will like this one just as much (I personally loved writing it!) You probably have seen that I put up the actual number of chapters, not many left to go... This one, the next one and an epilogue, unless my brain acts up and I add a bit more to it. We shall see... For now, enjoy this 20th chapter! (I recommend listening to Ed Sheeran's _Perfect_ ^^)

  


Alec spent the following week feeling like he was walking in a dream. A vivid, beautiful dream in which he kissed Magnus in every dark and deserted corner of the palace, in the secrecy of his bedroom and in the safety of Magnus' own loft. A dream in which Maryse asked him, once, if _Bane_ and he were friends and accepted his positive answer with a troubled frown but no derogatory comment.

His life had never been so exciting, so unusual, so bright and different from what he had known for years. Meetings and hearings for Morgenstern's case followed one another but after these, Alec always had something to look forward to: an evening spent reading children stories to Max, an afternoon shopping for the Christmas ball with Isabelle under the vigilant eye of their joined security teams, an outing that Alec had enjoyed beyond measure, for it was his first time outside of the palace since he had been targeted by those damned fire messages. Well, his first official outing anyway: no one knew about his date in Tokyo with Magnus.

Nor about their date in Rome, two nights prior, and the hot chocolates with whipped cream they had drunk in the cold, staring at the Trevi Fountain and throwing coins into the water, behind their shoulders.

Or even the last night, that they had spent at the Brazen Head, Dublin's oldest pub. Alec wasn't one to really enjoy beer but he'd been content to hold hands with Magnus and make out in a corner, the dimness providing poor light to anyone who would have wanted to take pictures of them - but who would recognise the Crown Prince of Alicante, when no one even expected him to be there, in another man's company no less?

Life was good, better than it had ever been, even with Valentine's trial looming - but that would be over before the new year and frankly, Alec wasn't worried about it anymore. Morgenstern was powerless now that his most trusted and loyal allies were either running away or already in prison, like Valentine himself... In the span of a week, Victor Aldertree had done his job well, the prince had to admit as much.

He only somewhat dreaded the upcoming Christmas party, which was synonym of dancing... Dancing with women, of course, some he would know and some he wouldn't. That last category worried him a little, for he was not convinced yet that his parents would not try to introduce him to his future spouse that night. It was even worse that Magnus would be there and...

Oops, that was poorly phrased. Alec was ecstatic that his lover had accepted the King and the Queen's surprising invitation and the mere thought of having Magnus by his side all night filled him with delight already. Not to mention his impatience at seeing what extravagant or revealing outfit Magnus would choose to wear... Alec personally hoped for an unbuttoned shirt again, not that he had told the warlock as much.

However, the prince knew that they would have a hard time pretending to be friends only and Alec really, really didn't want to dance with a girl and leave Magnus on his own to witness his lover in the arms of this or that princess. Nor did he want to see the warlock dance with anyone, for that matter. Still, if it happened... What could he say or do? Feign a sudden stomach ache that _absolutely_ needed to be treated with magic? No, of course not.

"Well," Magnus told him the night before the big event as they lay in bed, his head resting on Alec's chest, "you're supposed to watch your little brother, aren't you?"

"Hmmm..."

"This could be your excuse not to dance... For a while, at least."

"Maybe," Alec chuckled, "I'm sure Max wouldn't be opposed to creating a little havoc if I told him it would save me from the harpies."

"Harpies?" Magnus echoed with faint amusement, "That's harsh."

"I know," his lover sighed, lifting his hand to run his fingers through the warlock's hair, short on the sides but longer on top. "Some really are, though... Sometimes I feel like they are going to eat me."

"Can't blame them," the warlock huffed, "You do taste wonderful."

"Magnus!"

Alec spluttered, laughing when the warlock opened wide, innocent eyes and proceeded to pepper his face with light kisses and teasing nips, until they turned into something more impatient and passionate, something that kept them up nearly until the end of the night.

So, if Alec woke up a bit later than unusual that morning, feeling extremely comfortable in his warm bed and in Magnus' firm arms, he had an excuse - although not one he would share. Sighing in content, he trailed his fingertips along the warlock's eyebrows, caressing his cheek, brushing a thumb against the corner of his mouth. Magnus slept on and a fond smile curled up the prince's lips as he stared and stared, realising how lucky he was to have Magnus, to have what he had never believed he could have.

Well, that wasn't completely true: he was still missing the part where he and Magnus were official. During the past week, Alec had thought more and more about that, unwilling to keep hiding a love as beautiful as theirs. But before he could display their relationship, he had to take the first huge step himself, because his coming out could not result from Magnus' decision. The prince had to do it alone at first, to reveal who he was as a person - and then, if the warlock agreed, they would talk about their relation. Alec needed to grow as an individual before Magnus and he could grow as a couple.

With a regretful sigh, Alec slipped out of the bed in silence, trying not to wake Magnus, and he quickly showered in the adjacent bathroom. For all he wanted to eat breakfast in bed with his lover - who loved to summon food from this or that gourmet restaurant or bakery - Alec knew that he couldn't allow himself to tarry any longer: he was late already and if he didn't get on with his schedule now, Max would come knocking on the door. The young boy didn't need to see his big brother naked in bed with his lover, did he?

Magnus didn't move when Alec dropped a soft kiss to his mouth and stuck a Post-it note to his forehead, reading in blue ink _Duty calls. See you tonight. Love, Alec_. It was a short note, perhaps even a little abrupt, but it would carry the intended message without trouble.

Alec made a detour to the kitchen to grab a thick slice of freshly baked bread and a glass of water, then he went on his way to Max's bedroom. His little brother was dressed already, sitting at his small desk where he was reading up on ancient languages, and the sight made Alec smile: his sister had told him that Max had decided to study by himself while his parents were looking for a new preceptor, but he hadn't believed that his brother would actually do it... He'd rather thought that he would spend as much time as possible playing the piano - or studying music sheets.

"Alec!" Max exclaimed when he saw him standing on the threshold, closing _The Decipherment of Linear B_ with a thud. "Look, look!"

The boy jumped to his feet and stood there proudly, shifting his weight from one leg to the other, and his big brother engulfed him in a hug when he realised what was the reason for Max's delight.

"No more wheelchair, no more cane!" the boy explained with a groan, his voice muffled by the fabric of Alec's sweater. "I hated walking with the cane..."

Alec chuckled and ruffled his brother's hair, completely agreeing with him: when he was younger, the Crown Prince had fallen and broken his ankle, which had resulted in several weeks of walking with crutches... And he'd loathed it. So when Max had been presented with the cane a few days earlier, he had immediately thought back of his own experience and grimaced in sympathy.

"Congratulations!" he said with a grin, "Just in time for the ball, too!"

"Yes!" Max answered, pepped-up, and Alec whished he could be that excited for the party as well, "Do you think someone will want to dance with me?"

"Well, I'm sure Izzy will..."

Max wrinkled his nose.

"She doesn't count! She's our sister!"

Alec chocked on a bark of laughter, picturing Isabelle's reaction if she heard them talk, and he said:

"Don't ever tell her that, she might take offense."

"I don't mean it like that," Max explained, crossing his arms against his chest with a small huff. "But do you think I'll meet my princess tonight? Jace has Clary... And you, have you found your princess?"

The Crown Prince's patient smile faltered a little at that but he decided to be honest with his little brother. He deserved it and after all, Alec had thought about telling him the truth before... What better time than right then, since the question was out? Still, his heart started to beat faster with apprehension.

"I haven't," he said slowly, locking eyes with his brother to witness his reaction. "Max, I... I don't want to find a princess. Ever. I..."

"Oh!" Max interrupted him, eyes widening in sudden realisation, "Do you want to find a prince, maybe?"

It was Alec's turn to open wide eyes and he gaped like a fish out of water, looking at his little brother in awe. His question sounded so innocent but genuine, too, not just a childish alternative for the Crown Prince's refusal to settle down with a princess: Max perfectly understood what Alec wanted to say.

"Y... Yes," he stammered, "I mean... Not necessarily a prince but... A man, yes."

"Okay," Max nodded seriously. "Well, have you found him?"

Alec marvelled at the way his little brother took it all in stride without even blinking and he decided that he couldn't lie to him - he wouldn't give him all the details either, though - so he took a deep breath and answered:

"Yes, I have. Do you mind?"

"That you have a boyfriend?" Max asked with a little frown. "No! It's cool."

 _Cool_. Ah! If only his parents could say the same... But Alec didn't think he would ever hear his mother say that word, especially not when it came to her oldest son's homosexuality. She'd rather be appalled.

Alec quickly hugged his brother again instead of entertaining these unpleasant thoughts and Max returned his embrace a bit clumsily, patting the taller man's back with his little hands. He seemed a bit dumbfounded, as if he didn't fully grasp why his acceptance meant so much to Alec.

"Don't say anything to mom and dad yet, okay?" the prince whispered in his brother's ear. "I'm not sure they'll appreciate the news."

"Okay," Max repeated. "Is that why you haven't told me his name yet? Because they know him and they would understand that he is your boyfriend if I slip and talk about him?"

"You are definitely too smart for your age," Alec chuckled.

Max looked proud at that but then, like most children his age who were easily distracted, he switched topics and asked:

"Didn't you come here for another reason? Like, reminding me of the _do's_ and _don'ts_ at the ball tonight?"

"Right," Alec said, clearing his throat, "Right. So... Simon will go with you to the ballroom, you must be ready to go at..."

"Half past six!" Max finished, hands clasped behind his back as he rocked on the balls of his feet.

"Correct. And we go onto the balcony at...?"

"Seven o'clock, not one second earlier nor later," his little brother answered, tiny lights dancing in his eyes already at the prospect of attending his first official ceremony.

"Good," Alec nodded with a smile, "And where will you stand?"

"By your side! I'll be on your right while you will be on dad's, and Izzy on mom's left with Jace on Izzy's left!"

"Exactly. Then we will appear at the balcony and wave, remember?" Alec prompted him, earning himself a grin and a nod. "Photographers will be there to take our picture, don't look right at them, alright? Look just a little above and behind them so you don't get blinded by the flashes. Oh, and maybe some journalists will try to talk to you about your accident but... Don't. I'll be with you to fight them off... And if at some point in the evening you feel too tired to keep going, ask Simon to bring you back to your bedroom. You don't have to stay if you don't want to or can't stay awake anymore. Any questions?"

"No," Max answered, shaking his head, before a huge grin split his adorable face in two. "I wish we could start already!"

The boy's excitement didn't die even a little during the hours that led to the big event, it only increased and finally rocketed in the late afternoon, when it was time to get dressed. Alec, for his part, wasn't really looking forward to the festive evening, although he did hope to get some time alone with Magnus. With that thought in mind, he tried to make an effort and to choose an outfit that would not be plain black - a real ordeal, when most of his clothes were black. Or dark gray. He owned a few anthracite shirts, too, which sounded a bit more original than just saying _black_.

Well, if he really dug a little, he would find one or maybe two different white suits that he wore to weddings or summer cocktails at the palace. In the end though, he managed to get his hands on a navy blue suit, Italian cut and very classic, save for the discreet silver volutes printed on the back of the jacket. He absolutely did _not_ wonder if Magnus would notice the upgrade in his wardrobe.

"Someone decided to dress up," Isabelle pointed out as soon as she saw him arrive by the balcony, holding Max's hand in his own. "You look so good, both of you!"

"And you're the prettiest girl ever!" their little brother beamed at her when he took in the sight of her dress.

"Mom would probably disagree but thank you," she laughed while gesturing to herself, clad in the emerald dress that Alec and she had bought together.

The delicate dress hugged Isabelle's waist and let both her shoulders free, ending in a skirt made of translucent fabric that revealed her legs up to mid-thigh. Alec sometimes felt a twinge of envy for how comfortable Izzy felt in her own skin, or even Jace, who spent most of his summers in the palace half-naked and wearing shorts only, while the Crown Prince barely dared open the top button of his shirts. He was getting better though, he thought with a subtle smile: having his body worshipped by Magnus' mouth and fingers did a lot of good to his ego.

He was so distracted by the memories of Magnus' bronze hands on his own pale thighs that he nearly missed the Lightwoods' entrance on the ballroom balcony and only stepped forward when Max, thrumming with excitation, tugged on his arm.

Seen from the height of the balcony, the ballroom looked wonderful. Huge Christmas trees had been placed under the lateral arches of the room, every two or three columns, and string lights hung from the high ceiling in cascades of sparks. The ornaments in the trees were variations of gold and scarlet, giving warm hues to the ballroom and an atmosphere of cosiness and relaxation, perfect for a party.

The merry music gave the final touch to the ambiance and Max nearly didn't wait for their father's speech to be over before he tried to get down the stairs and into the room itself, eager to admire the orchestra within a shorter distance. Alec went with him, as the little boy was still holding his hand, and the Crown Prince steered him in the direction of some of their most important guests.

"Duty first, Max," he reminded him with a sympathetic smile. "Balls aren't just fun and amusement, there's some work to do as well..."

Max pouted, yet he made a point of flashing a huge smile to the High Magistrate Herondale when he came close to her.

"Lady Herondale," he greeted her with perfect poise, bowing and taking her hand to grace it with a light kiss.

"Your Highness," she answered with what Alec thought was fondness, "Pleasure to see you tonight. Prince Alexander..."

The latter was quick to answer her greeting in kind, although he felt a little thrown off by the use of his first name - only Magnus called him _Alexander_ , always with love, always with affection or passion, and hearing the High Magistrate address him by his name without the same sentiments felt strange. Not that he wanted the old Herondale to show him some love, not at all.

The brothers moved on, greeted the Prime Minister and his wife, met a bunch of journalists who congratulated the younger prince on his quick recovery but had the decency not to ask any question (and maybe Alec's glare of warning had a role to play in their proper behaviour) and eventually, they joined Jace and Clary nearby a Christmas tree so tall it nearly got tangled into the light strings hanging from the ceiling.

Alec chuckled when Clary asked Max for a dance and he watched his brother offer his arm to the duchess to lead her toward the middle of the room, under the spotlights. When they returned, Max looked ecstatic.

"I danced!" he simply declared to Alec, smile wide.

"That you did, and you were really good!" Jace exclaimed, suddenly hugging his brother sideways for a few seconds. "Congrats!"

Alec was about to ask what Max thought of waltzing now that he had actually done it but movement in the crowd made him look away from his brothers and Clary; his heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of the man walking around the many dancers. He nearly laughed when he realised that Magnus was dressed in blue, too, and that they matched, even without talking about it first.

His lover's outfit looked fancier than his own of course, what with the copper epaulettes on his shoulders and the brass buttons of his jacket. Alec vowed not to look too often at the way the fabric tightened around his biceps but Raj's discreet _ahem_ behind his back made him understand that he was a lost cause and the Crown Prince cleared his throat, feeling a bit awkward.

"Max," he said all of a sudden, "Come on, I need to introduce you to someone..."

His little brother immediately followed him, way too excited at belonging in the adults' playground, and Alec guided him to Magnus. The warlock had seen them come and stopped under one of the great arches, not too close to the orchestra and the dancing crowd.

"Your Highness!" Magnus exclaimed with a smug grin when they walked up to him, "What a _pleasure_ to see you tonight!"

Alec rolled his eyes, fighting a giddy smile, and he made a show of shaking hands with his lover, a gesture that would look very professional to anyone watching them, except that his thumb was stroking the inside of Magnus' wrist with tenderness.

"Max," the Crown Prince said as he turned toward his brother, "Let me introduce you to Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Alicante."

"It is so nice to meet you, Mister Bane!" Max greeted him with enthusiasm. "I wanted to thank you for saving me, the other day, I don't know how to repay..."

"You Lightwoods and repayment..." Magnus interrupted him with a low chuckle, glancing at Alec with a smile to remind him of how he, too, had thought he owed a debt to the warlock. "I assure you, Your Highness, that seeing you on your two feet and in good health is reward enough. Just... Be careful it doesn't happen again: your brother was a wreck."

Max nodded, frantic, while Magnus and Alec exchanged a silent look, soft and loving, both remembering how they had helped each other that day: Alec supporting the warlock when his strength had failed him, Magnus holding the prince up when the world's weight had grown too heavy on his shoulders.

"Alec," Max called after a few seconds, "I want to dance... Oh! Do you dance, Mister Bane?"

The Crown Prince startled, thinking that perhaps his brother was asking _Magnus_ for a waltz, until he saw the genuine curiosity in the boy's shining eyes. Right... Max had been fascinated with the warlock since the day he'd heard that Alec had met him, so...

"I love to," Magnus answered with a nod, "and I'm quite good at it too, if I may say so myself."

Alec's heart fell heavily in his stomach at those words, as he just realised that... He wanted to dance with Magnus. He had never really wanted to dance, ever, but tonight, with the right partner... He wished he could take Magnus' hand and bring him to the middle of the room like his father did with his mother, he wished all conversations would die, all other dancers stop, just to watch their Crown Prince and the love of his life share a moment.

"Alec doesn't like to dance," Max added, breaking his brother's trail of thought, "especially not with people he doesn't know. He..."

"Max," the prince cut him short, not without kindness, "Could you please stay with Izzy for a moment? I need to talk to Magnus... And I'm sure Izzy would be delighted if you asked her to dance with you."

Max, bless him, got confused for a short moment but complied with only a small groan; he left then, safely led to their sister by Simon. Izzy welcomed them with open arms and immediately proceeded to show Max how to dance a slower waltz, although no less complicated than the Viennese one, grabbing Simon's hands and giving him no other choice than to be her partner. Alec believed he heard Simon squeak all the way from there.

Turning away from his siblings, the prince met Magnus' eyes, in which shone the same confusion as in Max's.

"Is everything alright?" the warlock asked.

"Almost. Come with me," Alec pleaded, already stepping forward to leave the ballroom through a small door, hopefully unnoticed.

Magnus followed him, as did Raj, at a distance. As soon as they were out of sight, Alec reached for his lover's hand and headed for the closest staircase, bringing the warlock to the next floor and in a deserted hallway, where Raj stopped to make sure that no one would come. Eventually, Alec unlocked a large French window and stepped onto a small balcony opening on the gardens, spreading underneath them and disappearing into the darkness of the evening. Distantly, they could still hear the music coming from the ballroom, carried in the crisp air by a light breeze.

"You... wanted to show me the gardens?" Magnus asked then, still wondering about his lover's reasons to bring him up there.

"No," Alec chuckled, his gaze soft as he gently placed Magnus' hand in the small of his own back, entwining the fingers of their other hand, "I just thought maybe I could ask my boyfriend for a dance."

"Oh," Magnus realised, his eyes crinkling at the corners with glee, "So I'm your boyfriend now, uh?"

"I... was hoping you might want to be," Alec grumbled, suddenly shy.

They hadn't discussed it yet, too busy finding each other again after their ordeal with Valentine, but Magnus had to know... He had to know that he was the one. The one Alec loved, the one he wanted to keep by his side as long as Magnus would want to stay by his, the one he would cherish and love forever, if Magnus allowed him to.

"Well then, Alexander," the warlock began with a crooked smile, tightening his hold on his lover's hand, "I would love to dance with my boyfriend."

And dance they did. Alec let Magnus lead him in slow spins at the pace of the quiet music, until they changed and lost their footing, too caught up in each other's eyes, until they were merely swaying together, oblivious to any rhythm. Magnus let both his hands fall and wrapped his arms around Alec's waist instead, bringing him closer so that he could rest his head on his lover's shoulder.

The prince was just a bit taller than Magnus - who was definitively stronger than him - and he used that slight difference to his advantage, kissing the top of the warlock's hair, his own arms sneaking around the other's back.

They stayed like that, dancing in the dark with their eyes closed, Magnus lifting his head from time to time to request a kiss that the prince always, always gave him, between sweet and sincere murmurs of love. Alec wished the night would never end, he wished the world would forget about them and allow them to bask in this happiness forever...

However, like Cinderella who had to abandon her prince before midnight struck, they eventually had to leave their safe haven and go back to the ballroom, before someone came looking for one of them. They did so with heavy hearts, neither of them quite ready yet to go back to pretending that they did not share something deeper than a protection agreement or even friendship, pretending that they were not in love.

They let go of each other's hand right before they stepped in the ballroom, a decision that filled Alec's chest with sadness, as well as a feeling of injustice. Other couples didn't need to make themselves scarce in order to kiss. As nice as it had been, Magnus deserved better than a dance hidden in the shadows, Magnus deserved... He deserved everything that Alec could give him - and beyond. And _he_ deserved better, too. The prince should have the right to take his lover's hand, kiss him in front of everyone, make him a part of his life, officially, because he knew that he would never give up on him, on them.

"I... I'll be right back," he heard himself say to Magnus distantly as an idea wormed its way into his mind, and he squeezed the warlock's shoulder for a grand total of one second, "I... I'll be back."

He smiled at his lover in reassurance when he caught sight of the hesitant wonder etched into Magnus' features and when a gentle, trusting smile answered him, Alec turned around and crossed the room, straining his neck as he looked all around for one particular blonde person... He found her easily, glaring at a few journalists who were glancing every now and then at Max, probably pondering whether or not approaching him would be a good idea. Considering that he was chatting with Izzy, Alec believed it would be in their best interest to stay right where they stood.

"Lydia," he called nervously when he stopped in front of her. "Can I talk to you for a minute? In private?"

"Uh... Sure," she answered, her eyebrows already furrowing - she probably smelled trouble from miles away - but she still followed the Crown Prince into a corner of the room, looking a bit wary. "What's up?"

Alec took a deep breath before answering, praying that Lydia wouldn't turn her back on him - the prince trusted her but he also knew that he would be asking her a big favour. He didn't want her to lose her job, so if she refused... He would have to accept it. Well then, time to throw all caution to the wind. It was now or never.

"Lydia," he whispered, his voice vibrating with the raw emotions awoken by his sudden but unwavering decision, "I want to come out."

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom.  
> Thank you for reading ;)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I apologise for the delayed chapter... As some of you already know if you follow me on tumblr, I wanted to update yesterday but in the end, I was unable to. The sad news about one of my favourite singers passing away yesterday broke me and I couldn't function. Still barely can, to be honest. Jonghyun's songs and voice helped me get through a rough time in my life and knowing that he isn't there anymore is breaking my heart.
> 
> Still, this chapter was nearly done, only needed some proof-reading, so here we go. Writing helped me, and I hope you will enjoy this chapter.

  


The King's and the Queen's speech on Christmas Eve was tradition. A carefully selected team of technicians and cameramen would be there to film this moment in the King's study and they would broadcast it live to all of Alicante's TV channels and even a few international ones, giving all citizens twenty minutes of images and sounds directly from the palace.

Many awaited that speech with impatience, royalty fans and antis alike: the former would swoon in front of Max's cuteness, Isabelle's beauty, Jace's pretty eyes and Alec's brooding charm, and they would praise the wisdom and successes of the Queen and the King in economic and cultural matters, among others.

The antis, however, would frown upon the Queen's proud features, the King's retrospective of their political actions for the stability and the betterment of life in Alicante, and they would certainly find something rude to say about the Crown Prince and his sister. Perhaps Max would be spared, as his smile made miracles and his accident had saddened many of antiroyalists, and they tended to like Jace as well - since he had _not been given the choice to enter that family, poor boy_.

Whatever their beliefs were though, everyone would watch it with attention, making the Christmas Eve Speech the most popular television broadcast on the 24th of December. So it was no wonder why Lydia had nearly died of a heart attack when Alec told her about his plan - and that came after sharing his decision to come out, which had been a huge surprise already.

"At least I have a plan," he'd said a bit defensively when she'd gaped at him, flabbergasted.

"It's a stupid plan," she'd corrected him with a horrified frown, "Or maybe it's brilliant, I'm not sure yet."

Alec kept thinking that it was a good plan, even though now he was growing anxious as the whole family was getting ready, chatting in Robert's study while their bodyguards stood at the back, glancing from time to time to the techs putting the cameras in the right place and checking the lighting. The Crown Prince was fiddling with his tie, nervous fingers twitching in the silk, when Jace stopped in front of him and slapped his hand away.

"You look nervous," the blond said with a comforting smile as he adjusted the knot of his brother's tie. "Is everything alright?"

Alec nodded and tried to grin, which only made Jace's eyebrows furrow. Crap. Note to self: do not try to smile when busy dying of nervousness.

"Hey, relax," Jace enjoined him, squeezing his shoulders as he caught on his brother's distress, although he didn't really understand the reason behind it.

Goodness, even Magnus didn't know he was doing this, although Alec had suggested him to tune in to the official broadcast of the Speech. Only the Crown Prince himself and Lydia, currently speaking to one of the technicians, were aware of what would happen this evening.

"It's Christmas," Jace added with a grin, "Time to party and be merry, Alec!"

Yeah, right. The prince merely hoped that he would not ruin Christmas for them all... Crap, even Lydia wasn't sure that it was a good idea, she even told him she would have preferred to announce his girlfriend's pregnancy!

"Uh, she... She was a fake girlfriend," Alec had felt compelled to explain, cheeks burning hot as he looked down at his shoes.

"Obviously, yes," Lydia had said, rolling her eyes. "Look, I'm... happy for you. Really, I am, and it's great that you found yourself - and your man. But this is huge and you have to be sure..."

"I am," Alec had interrupted her with a confident smile. "I am, Lydia. He's the one and... I want this."

He had been telling the truth. His sexuality had stayed a secret for too long and Alec used to be fine with it, for he had never quite believed that it could be different - that he could find love. But he had. He had and he was not going to force Magnus to live in the closet when the warlock had stepped out of it centuries ago.

Alec was ready. He would not regret it, he wouldn't, even if he was shaking as he took his seat next to his parents. His brothers and his sister were there, by his side, bringing him more comfort and strength in this moment than they could possibly imagine, blissfully unaware of the announcement he would make in a few minutes.

He took a deep breath as the tiny hands of Jace's wristwatch moved to strike six o'clock; everywhere in Alicante, people were gathering in front of their television or watching the screen of their phone as the broadcast began, opening with images of the palace and its beautiful garden, the national anthem playing in the background.

"Your Majesty," one of the cameramen said to his father, "You're live in five, four, three, two, one... Go!"

Robert slipped effortlessly in his role, smiling as he greeted the people in the same way he had, every year for the past two decades, on Christmas Eve. The King started by reminding everyone of the Crown's last political and economic victories, emphasising their importance in securing a good life for Alicante's people and enabling celebrations like Christmas, and the upcoming New Year festivities, to happen in joy.

The Queen took the floor after a subtle pause on her husband's part and steered the conversation to another topic, much loved by their people who then remembered that their monarchs were, after all, humans like them.

"On this day," Maryse began, "we wish you all to celebrate with your friends and family and to cherish these moments spent with them. Family is very dear to us as well and this year, we have been reminded of how fragile it can be."

She trailed off then, taking the time to extend her hand for Max to squeeze in his own, smaller fingers, and he smiled at his mother. She glanced at Alec as well, keeping quiet but still managing to express her relief at knowing him alive and well after what had happened, but he knew she could not - would not - mention Valentine.

"Tonight," Maryse added, "I want to thank the teams of Idris General Hospital for their professionalism, as well as everybody working in the medical field, for your hard work. I want to thank our security teams for always keeping an eye on our family and protecting our children. Tonight, I also want to thank all these people who work to bring comfort and some of Christmas' joy to the sick, the poor, the homeless or the hungry in one of Idris' many institutions... And tonight, one more charity is joining the fight."

 _Breathe_ , Alec thought as his mother turned toward him again, followed by the main camera in the room, _breathe_. Lydia nodded at him from across the study, looking as supportive as ever. He smiled a bit, thinking of his family who knew that he had eventually decided to make a statement regarding the opening of his charity, but had been kept in the dark as to what that statement entailed, exactly. Or the charity itself, for that matter. Then Alec's mind travelled to Magnus, happy thoughts prompting a smile, and the prince started to speak.

"This project means a lot to me," he said, staring right at the camera and into the hearts of Alicante's people, keeping his voice firm in spite of the apprehension dancing the lambada in his stomach. "I wasn't certain at first that I wanted to stress my role in this charity, as it is a wonderful project of its own and doesn't need royal glory to be important. In the end, I think that speaking up is important, too."

Okay, so far so good. The beginning wasn't so bad... Now the real fun would start, though. Still, Alec was relieved to realise that he was not second-guessing himself nor felt the need to backtrack and change what he wanted to announce. He was going to do this, for himself, for Magnus, and for all the people who might need to hear what he would say - the people who, perhaps, didn't get lucky enough to have a Magnus Bane in their life.

"I am proud of this charity opening its doors in Idris tonight," he said with a smile, "A safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth, providing shelter, food, medical help and financial support. As a part of that community myself, I am proud to present to you _Unlocked_."

Boom. There it was. Alec didn't dare to glance at his parents and witness their reaction but he perfectly felt his mother tense, right next to him. To those watching the broadcast though, Alec didn't think that anything would seem off: his own blank mask when hearing bad or unpleasant news had to come from somewhere.

"It is Christmas," the Crown Prince added, glad to notice that his voice wasn't shaking any more than when he had begun his speech. "A time to spend with friends and family and yet, some of us don't get that. Some of us don't have a family who wants them around, some of us have nowhere to go, nowhere to be met with smiles and acceptance."

Alec paused, both for the effect and for his own sake, finally feeling the emotion rise in his throat. He grabbed Izzy's hand, lightly resting on the desk in front of them, to squeeze it with unspoken gratitude at her own reaction to his coming out, then his sister entwined their fingers, anchoring him in the process. Jace and Max, on her other side, were sporting matching bright smiles.

"This is what _Unlocked_ stands for. We stand with open arms and an open heart to welcome anyone who needs us. A wise man once told me that I had to unlock my own heart and accept myself... Some of you might not be able to do that just yet but don't worry. Your time will come. And if you need any help, _Unlocked_ will be there for you."

And... Time to shine. Alec flashed the camera one last soft and tender smile, one that was only meant for one person.

"My boyfriend and I wish you a merry Christmas."

There. It was done, _he_ had done it. Ears ringing with adrenaline, Alec barely registered Lydia whisper _cut_ to the cameraman, too busy floating in a bubble of overwhelming joy, slowly realising... This was real. He had come out live on national television and he was shaking with leftover apprehension but not with regret, even though the worst had yet to come: his parents' reactions. Right then though, Alec didn't even care that much: he rather wondered whether Magnus had watched the broadcast, had heard his words... What he thought of it. The prince knew he would have to face his parents, eventually, and he was aware of the painful fact that it could get ugly but... That didn't seem too important anymore.

Alec felt lighter, now. He had the upper hand in this situation, since he had come out to both his parents and his people at the same time: while his parents would definitely not like it, coming out publicly had the huge advantage of making them aware of the people's opinion. Alec didn't believe anymore that it could come down to it but if Maryse or Robert did something to him, anything at all, either kicking him out or disinheriting him, people would know his coming out was the reason behind that behaviour. It would not make the Crown look good.

Suddenly, his little bubble of euphoria burst as the cameramen and technicians hurried out of the study, certainly feeling the tension that Alec was only now starting to realise even existed, leaving the royal family alone with Lydia. He stood up, at the same time as Maryse jumped to her feet and, a bit slower, his father.

The silence fell heavily over the room, while Alec's siblings held their breath and glanced from their brother to their parents, and the Crown Prince suddenly couldn't take it anymore: bracing himself, he looked up and stared at Maryse and Robert, a thick eyebrow raised in defensive defiance. His father was the first to dare break the stillness.

"Part of that community?" the King echoed his previous words, faintly, and it was enough to push his wife out of whatever shock she had been frozen in.

"Boyfriend?!" she shrieked.

"Yes," Alec confirmed with as much patience as he could muster, not believing for one second that he hadn't made himself clear the first time, but he apparently had to spell it out. "I have a boyfriend. I'm gay."

Maryse looked like she had swallowed a whole lemon, and a particularly sour one at that, and she pursed her lips, while Robert seemed... oddly calm. Not that shocked.

"You... knew?" Alec asked hesitantly, already wondering if he had not been as secretive and discreet as he thought he had.

"I... had my suspicions," his father said, "While Jace couldn't keep it in his pants - no offense, kid..."

"None taken," Jace grumbled.

"... You never mentioned a girl, Alec," Robert finished. "And I know you like your privacy but I figured... that maybe there would _never_ be a girl."

The Crown Prince tried not to react in a wrong way to his father's words - they were discussing the situation calmly instead of yelling at each other or slamming doors, which was a good thing - but it was hard not to be upset: the King had an inkling that his son didn't like women and still, he'd wanted him to get married?

"You're missing the important point, dad!" Izzy interfered to break the tension, smiling as she came up behind Alec to loop an arm around his neck and leaned in to kiss his cheek soundly. "What Alec did was so brave!"

"Brave?" Maryse repeated slowly, dampening everybody's good - or not too bad - mood and killing Izzy's efforts. "Brave? Do you hear yourself? Alec, what have you done? What will people think?"

"This isn't about people," her son shot back, already knowing that this would be less easy than with his dad, although Robert hadn't exactly expressed his support in words, "This is about me."

"Yes, you, but the Crown also!" she shouted, before she realised she was losing her temper and lowered her voice, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Alec, you have duties, responsibilities to this country... There will be consequences! And you just... You just came out to the entire nation! To the world! All of that for..."

Maryse abruptly shut up, her eyes narrowing to slits as she realised that she was still missing important information.

"Your... boyfriend," she growled, apparently still stuck on the fact that yes, Alec did indeed have one, "Who is he?"

All eyes, wide with wonder and curiosity, turned to him, making him feel quite a bit like an odd animal in a zoo. Only Raj knew the answer to that question, he had not even shared the details with Lydia... And Alec wasn't too sure that he wanted to enlighten the others on that topic right now, when he hadn't even been able to discuss it with Magnus himself. Now that he'd come out though, the prince wasn't opposed to it, if the warlock agreed as well - in fact, Alec would be delighted to tell everyone how much he loved Magnus. He would probably never shut up about it.

"Alec?" the King urged him on when he realised that his son was lost in thought.

"Who is he?" Maryse insisted, brows furrowed as if she believed that Alec's hesitation to tell them meant that his boyfriend was a terrible man.

The prince opened his mouth to explain just what he thought, that he'd rather wait for his boyfriend's decision before telling the family, but the golden shape of a portal opening in the King's study caught everyone's attention.

The pace of Alec's heartbeat rocketed and he suddenly became nervous: Magnus was on his way, that much was obvious, but how would he react? Would he be proud of his Alexander, would he want to tell the King and the Queen that he was their son's boyfriend, or would he think that it was too soon, too early in their relationship to announce it?

Unaware of his thoughts, his family tensed. Unlike the Crown Prince, they had no reason to expect Magnus... They surely feared that he was meeting them to say that Valentine had escaped or that some other problem had arisen, which, on Christmas Eve, would be a real pain in the royal asses of his parents.

They were put at ease almost as soon as Magnus stepped through the portal, as well as Alec: the warlock was sporting a huge grin, so the prince dared to hope that it meant good things only. None of them could say a word, Alec didn't even have the time to admire his boyfriend's shimmering makeup at his leisure, not when Magnus was striding towards him with a blinding smile.

"You never cease to amaze me, Alexander," he whispered before his lips crashed against the prince's, in front of everyone.

Alec eagerly accepted this turn of events and cupped Magnus' face in his hands to deepen their kiss, uncaring of the others still standing in the room now that he had the answers to all his questions. He could only think _yes, we're doing this_. Still, he distinctly heard Raj snickering in his back, he caught his mother's shocked gasp and his dad's strangled noise, as well as the more comforting laughter and whistles of his siblings.

"M... Magnus?!" Maryse stammered after a few seconds, her previous anger gone now to leave only bewilderment and fear of understanding exactly what was going on.

Alec and Magnus had to pull apart, although their febrile hands found each other's at the same time, unwilling to let go completely. The warlock winked at the Crown Prince and turned toward the Queen with a bright smile.

"Maryse," he greeted her as if he hadn't just smooched her son right on the face, "How nice to see you tonight. You look splendid."

Isabelle didn't manage to hold back a snort, nor a little cry of pain when Jace elbowed her in the ribs, but their mother didn't notice any of this. She had barely survived Alec announcing that he was gay _and_ had a boyfriend, so now that she knew he was a warlock, a very powerful one at that, and none other than Magnus Bane... It was too much for her.

"This is a joke!" she finally exclaimed, her eyes dark with murderous vibes, "This can't be happening, it's... Really, Magnus? My son? Couldn't you find someone else? If this is one of your little warlock games, I swear I..."

"Maryse," Robert cut her gently, although firmly, "Calm down. I think it is clear that it isn't some stupid prank."

The King glanced at his son and his lover's joined hands and attempted a weak smile. At least he was trying, which was more than could be said about Maryse... Although, she had not yet exiled Magnus nor arrested him, so... It had to mean something.

"Are you two... serious?" Robert asked, sounding a bit uncomfortable, "Is this love?"

Maryse scoffed when she heard her husband's question but she also nearly choked when both Magnus and Alec answered _yes_ at the same time.

"Congratulations, guys! I'm so happy for you, Alec," Izzy chirped, before she narrowed her eyes at Magnus and added, "I'm warning you, if you break his heart..."

"They'll never find your body," Jace finished with a sinister crack of his fingers.

"I'm terrified," Magnus deadpanned, "But don't worry, I'll take good care of your brother."

Alec was aware of making heart eyes at the warlock in front of his whole family but he couldn't quite bring himself to care - moreover, he couldn't help it. Still, Maryse wasn't convinced.

"He's a warlock, Alec," she seethed quietly, as if Magnus couldn't know about his own nature. "He's dangerous, he..."

"Magnus saved my life," he shot back, "in more ways than one. Without him..."

"Is it what it is all about?" the Queen interrupted him, "Misplaced gratitude? You owe him nothing, Alec, the protection deal was between him and us, you don't have to..."

"For fuck's sake, mom!" Alec exploded, finally fed up, "Why can't you understand that I'm in love with Magnus?"

Maryse couldn't answer anything to that, shocked into sullen silence, and she averted her gaze, lips pursed. She was certainly preparing a retort, although she didn't actually have the time to speak again: Lydia, much like Izzy, tried to turn the atmosphere to something a bit merrier, more befitting of a Christmas Eve night.

"Alec," she said cheerfully, "You broke Twitter."

"He... What?" Robert asked. "Already?"

"He's trending worldwide, number one," Lydia explained, showing the Palace Twitter account on her phone, "People are using several hashtags, like _coming-out-of-the-year_ or _proud-with-the-prince_. Oh, _Unlocked_ is trending, too."

"What are they saying?" the King enquired, sounding almost detached as he tried to play down his evident concern - for his son or for his country, Alec couldn't tell.

"Many actors and singers have expressed their support already," Lydia answered without looking at any of them, typing at lightning speed on her phone. "People are impressed, mostly, and say that you made a brave decision..."

"What about the political sphere, here and abroad?" Maryse asked, apparently willing to forget about Magnus for now, more worried about the consequences of Alec's coming out on the Lightwood influence and good reputation.

"Foreign dignitaries have mixed reactions," Lydia admitted with a nonchalant shrug, although she looked a bit appalled by the comments she was reading - and she didn't go into more details. "Some are shocked, of course, but that was to be expected. Even if Alec had announced that he was dating a girl, antiroyalists and others still would have found bad things to say about her, so... But I think most reactions will come later, as well as consequences, either positive or negative. Ah! The Duchess of Fray just tweeted that she's proud of you and Luke Garroway salutes the fact that Their Majesties support their son and stand by him. He applauses your progressive thinking."

Robert made a face, although not one that could rival Maryse's own angry expression: Luke certainly knew that neither the King nor the Queen had been aware of what Alec would say during this Christmas Eve Speech... And he had to know that his parents would not be the most supportive people either. Had Luke decided to help the prince by tweeting about it in a way that would coax his parents to at least pretend that they understood and accepted their oldest son's life choices?

He had, Alec realised with a smile. Now, Maryse and Robert could not go and deny what had been said, they would be forced to stick with their advisor's explanation. Alec owed Luke big time, didn't he?

"Also," Lydia added as if she hadn't noticed the tension in the room thickening again, "Some people are sad that you already have a boyfriend. They think, and I quote, that _whoever is banging you is one lucky bastard_."

"I am," Magnus all but purred, pecking Alec's mouth softly.

Maryse gave a small cry of outrage at that.

"This can't be!" she exclaimed again, cold eyes glancing at Alec's and Magnus' still joined hands. "Goodness, Alec, even if you're... You're..."

"Gay," Jace helpfully supplied, even though he rolled his eyes. "That's the word you're looking for, mom."

Maryse glared at him but she relented and silently accepted her son's correction.

"Gay," she repeated with a frown, "Right. Well, even so... Why did it have to be a warlock?"

"I recall warlocks are usually pretty useful to you, Maryse," Magnus growled, "So please, why don't you explain exactly what your problem is with me? You already said that I could be dangerous - and I actually _can_ , don't forget about that - so what else?"

This time, Maryse struggled a little with her words before attacking her son's lover, and Magnus' not-so subtle threat probably played a big part in that unusual hesitation.

"You are immortal," she finally said. "Alec is not."

The Crown Prince felt his heart drop like a heavy rock at the bottom of his stomach. He... He had distantly been aware of that fact but he had never... He had never considered it as the cold truth it was: he was going to die while Magnus would live on, all alone. They had never talked about it, too busy with other problems and then, too lost in each other's eyes and warmth. But... They had time, right? They had time to discuss it, figure it out... Right then though, Alec didn't know what to tell his mother. As it seemed, the warlock didn't know what to say either, which gave Maryse the opportunity to add on an angry tone:

"If you continue with this... _thing_ , whatever it is, if you learn things and use them against Alicante once Alec is... isn't there anymore, you..."

"Mother," the prince said with so much coldness in his voice that Maryse definitely felt it, her attention snapping right away to him, "This _thing_ , as you say, is a relationship. We're dating and it isn't going to change just because you don't like it. Besides, Magnus has been around for a long time: he already knows everything about the Lightwoods, even stuff _I_ didn't know about."

"If you're afraid of me betraying you in the future, let me remind you that I could have done so a long time ago," Magnus added, agreeing with his boyfriend. "Besides, there are... several possibilities, for Alexander and I, and we have time. But if it comes down to it... Well, you shouldn't fear anything: I would leave Alicante. I wouldn't stay in a place where everything reminds me of my lost love."

"Magnus..." Alec whispered, trailing off then, not knowing what to say.

The warlock sounded so heartbroken at the mere prospect of losing him that the prince couldn't think of anything else than wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and hold him tight, kissing his temple and murmuring reassuring words in his ear. They had time, his lover had said so himself. Alec wouldn't let his mother's phrasing put doubts and sadness in Magnus' mind when tonight was the perfect night to rejoice: Alec had come out, his parents hadn't killed him yet - nor Magnus - and his dad might actually be alright with the whole situation. One out of two wasn't so bad.

It turned out that their gentle hug finally proved too much for the Queen, who let out one last disapproving and disappointed grumble before she stormed out. Alec made a half-hearted attempt at holding her back but Robert stepped in before he could catch his mother's wrist, and the prince flinched when Maryse slammed the door shut.

"She'll come around," the King said slowly, sounding as if he was trying to convince himself as well as his son. "Give her time."

"What about you?" Alec asked, staring his father in the eye, silently hoping for some sort of validation where he had gotten none from his mother.

"I don't really understand this," Robert said in blunt honesty. "But I think I could learn to."

If one were to ask him, Alec would answer that no, he did not feel tears wetting his eyes at his dad's words. He wasn't _that_ sensitive - but Magnus would never let him forget about the quiet sob he let out in his surprise, only loud enough to be heard by the warlock. His dad awkwardly patted his cheek, flashed him a tiny smile, then bravely turned towards Magnus, taking a step toward him both literally and metaphorically as he said with a clear hint of hesitation:

"Would you, by any chance, like to stay for dinner?"

"Would you like to stay forever?!" Max exclaimed without giving Magnus the time to process the King's question nor to answer, too happy to quote his favourite Disney movie.

Magnus laughed, while Robert looked mortified, but the warlock decided not to answer that last question, lest he kill the King from shock.

"Dinner sounds good," he simply said, "Thank you."

Robert nodded, still looking a bit uncomfortable and certainly picturing his wife's face once she would know about the invitation he'd extended to the warlock, then he gestured towards the door and led the way, walking out of the study a bit too fast for him to look absolutely relaxed. They were in for a great evening... Well, at least this would be one Christmas Eve they would not forget.

"Just so you know," Magnus said casually after they had crossed the threshold, as they walked hand in hand down the long corridors and staircases leading to the dining room, "Forever works for me. If you want that."

"I do," Alec replied in a heartbeat, a huge smile splitting his face in two. "I do, Magnus... But let's see if we survive dinner first, alright?"

Magnus' carefree laughter accompanied them until they reached the dining room where one more plate and set of cutlery had been hastily added, right next to Alec's usual seat, and the prince made a mental note to thank whoever was responsible for it - certainly not his mother, who was already sitting and sporting a pissed expression, her glare throwing imaginary daggers at the warlock's head. Magnus only grinned at her with wide, innocent eyes.

As they all sat down, some of them repressing smiles and others forcing one out, Jace leaned toward Alec and whispered:

"If the tension gets too thick, don't worry: I'll be the distraction, get them to let you and Magnus be at peace for a little while..."

"How?" his brother wondered.

"Well, I could tell mom and dad that I proposed to Clary this morning..." Jace answered with a shrug, although his eyes were sparkling with absolute joy - and it was enough for Alec to understand that his brother wasn't saying it as a mere joke.

Oh God. Their parents were in for one hell of a ride.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the way it all worked out! The next chapter will be the last one but I'm already plotting and writing my next Malec story, which would be an enemies-to-lovers AU, set in a much different world than this one. If it is ready, I might post the first chapter before the epilogue of this story, or perhaps I'll put an excerpt in the end notes of the epilogue. We will see!


	22. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is it! The last chapter... I'm actually quite sad about it, I truly enjoyed writing this story and receiving your lovely feedback made the experience all the more interesting and fun! Thank you so, so much for your support and kind words all along, you are all wonderful <3 I leave you with the epilogue, which I hope will please you and wrap up this story nicely...

  


Epilogue: ten years later

The throne room was decorated in blue and silver hues, draperies hanging from the ceiling, from the left side to the right side of the hall. Flowers were attached to the numerous marble columns of the room, all staff members were wearing their most elegant and delicate uniform, all sporting grins and doubling their efforts to make this day unforgettable. Twenty rows of chairs at the front of the room faced the throne and its pearly white velvet where the King of Alicante should sit, empty for now - but not for much longer.

All these seats were taken, Robert and Maryse at the centre, with Jace, Max and Izzy by their side. Magnus was on the other side of the Lightwoods siblings, sitting nearby Lydia and the advisors, and he was smirking in a smug way, one that Alec knew had everything to do with the breathless kiss they had shared before they had to step back and go on with their respective duties.

Behind these rows of chairs that seated the royal family except for Alec himself, as well as the royal cabinet, the ministers, a fair amount of warlocks, the many foreign representatives and a lot of influential artists, all of them with their plus one, there were also people standing: journalists, photographers (most of which were already walking through the room to take pictures of everyone and everything), technicians and cameramen to broadcast the event to the screens outside of the palace, for the crowd's pleasure, a bunch of guards, and Alec surely wouldn't have had enough of one evening to list all the other guests.

It was frightening, somewhat, to know that all these people were behind him, literally and figuratively speaking, that they trusted him, a mere man who was currently kneeling in front of the throne, in front of Luke, and was desperately hoping that he wouldn't pass out from nerves.

He was going to be King. In a few minutes, in a few seconds, Alec would feel the weight of the jewelled crown take its place atop his dark locks of hair. It would be heavy, he knew as much, but the coronation was one of the only moments he would actually have to wear it. The weight would never been lifted off though... But he was ready.

He had been ready to take on his father's charge for years, yet he hadn't thought that it would come that soon... But under happier circumstances than the usual ones: the death of the King. Robert had left behind his title of Crown Prince to become King when his own father passed away, and Alec was glad that his coronation didn't have to happen while he was mourning his dad.

No, Robert was still alive and kicking, mostly, but the unexpected stroke that had hit him two years prior had left him tired, exhausted, his body frailer than it had ever been, and... Well, back then, everyone already knew that he would never make a full recovery.

For two years though, the King had done his best to remain as strong as possible with the help of Maryse but as months passed by, Alec took more than his fair share of kingly duties, attending the meetings his father should have come to but couldn't, leading negotiations instead of Robert, making important decisions that merely required the King's approval to be accepted by the advisors and then, the ministers. In everything but the name, Alec had already been King for one year or so.

But his father had abdicated the previous evening, too tired to keep going and aware of the fact that his son would do (and was already doing) a better job than him. Maryse had agreed, relieved to see her husband finally take the rest he deserved and needed.

So, Alec was there, kneeling, his heart beating fast as he listened to Luke addressing the guests and the millions of people watching the ceremony live on their screens. It had come to the prince as an evidence to be crowned by Luke Garroway: the man had supported him for years, taking his side even when his parents were hesitant to... He owed him so much.

Luke's speech was short, straight to the point, foreseeing a bright reign of transparency and acceptance of others for the new King - goals toward which Alec had already worked for several years, hence the presence of many warlocks this day...

They liked Alec, not only because he was dating one of their own and thus trusted Magnus' judgement, but also because he genuinely meant to bring warlocks and non-magical citizens closer. His decision had been met with much hesitancy at first, on both sides: some were afraid of being turned into toads, others were scared of persecution if they came out of the shadows. The fact that warlocks were now standing proudly among advisors and dignitaries of Alicante showed just how much progress had been made during the past ten years.

As Luke finally placed the crown on top of his head, Alec closed his eyes and stopped breathing for a few seconds, as if he expected to be struck by thunder. When nothing happened though, his eyelids fluttered open and he met Luke's gentle eyes, crinkling at the corners with small lines of age and hints of smiles.

"Rise," Luke said with a booming voice that echoed in the large room, "Alexander Lightwood, King of Alicante!"

So Alec did, rose to his feet with as much grace as he could muster, turning around then to contemplate the throne room and the people who had stood up as well and were applauding him: his family, his parents and his siblings, Clary still sitting because of her pregnancy but clapping her hands with more excitement than was good for her, her wedding ring glinting in the light of the sun coming in the room through the lateral windows. Max, half-focused on his brother and half-focused on Madzie, two rows behind him.

Alec saw all the advisors - _his_ advisors now - the ministers, powerful benefactors, local and foreign dignitaries... They had all come for him, to witness this historic and glorious event: the coronation of the first gay king of Alicante, the one who had brought two sides of the population closer, promising protection to warlocks, the one who remained a mystery to a lot of people.

The King rose and saw them all but in truth, his eyes could only notice one person. And he knew, he knew he was supposed to submit to the centuries-old protocol and cross the throne room, following the path that cut the rows of chairs neatly in their middle so that he could walk out on the balcony and greet his people, gathered in the gardens of the palace and waiting to see their King. He knew that.

Still, his first step forward wasn't made in the direction of the balcony but toward Magnus, looking handsome as ever - and a bit startled too, especially when Alec kneeled again, this time in front of him.

"Would you do me the honour of walking with me, as the King Consort of Alicante?" he asked, heart beating fast in his chest, threatening to burst out of his ribcage at any second.

Magnus chuckled.

"To be your King Consort," he said, "I would need to marry you... And you, to propose to me."

Alec looked at him with a disbelieving smile.

"What do you think I'm doing?" he said, smirking when Magnus' expression abruptly changed from one of amusement to one of surprise and... teary joy?

"Really?" Magnus whispered, clearly not believing it could even be possible.

"I love you," was all Alec answered, "I love you and I want to spend my whole life with the man who makes me laugh and hogs the blanket at night, the man who thinks eyeliner looks good on me when it clearly doesn't, the man who has made me happy for the past ten years. And if you want that, I could hopefully be the man who does the same to you, for the rest of our lives."

Alec didn't expect the raw emotion running down Magnus' cheeks under the form of salty raindrops. Actually, he hadn't expected anything at all: he hadn't even planned to propose... He had thought about it before of course, for years, as soon as his relationship with Magnus had been made public - nearly one year after his coming out - or perhaps even earlier than that.

It had been too soon though, too soon for people to accept both a gay heir to the throne and one who was considering to settle down with a warlock forever. However, now that warlocks were accepted, that Alec's skills couldn't be doubted, that the stormy reactions following the different revelations about his personal life had calmed down since long, now that he was the _King_... Now was the perfect time.

Magnus only had to say yes.

His warlock was crying quietly, slow tears dripping from the corners of his eyes, and Alec brushed them away with his thumbs, smiling gently as he cupped his lover's face. Eventually, Magnus nodded, grinning through his tears.

"I will gladly walk with you, as your King Consort," he said softly.

"To be my King Consort," Alec chuckled, throwing Magnus' previous words right back at him even as his heart swelled with warmth and happiness, "You would need to marry me, I would have to propose to you... You would have to say yes."

"What do you think I'm doing?" Magnus shot back with a laugh, before he forgot all about games and jokes and turned deadly serious. "Yes, Alexander. A thousand times yes."

Alec hadn't been prepared to hear the actual word. _Yes_. Three letters, so powerful, carrying so much strength and hope within themselves... His eyes stung, even as his cheeks hurt from smiling too widely.

The King took Magnus' hand in his own and stood up once again, this time bringing the warlock to his feet as well, wrapping him in his embrace for a kiss. He completely forgot that they weren't alone and that journalists and cameras were literally everywhere but even if he had remembered, Alec didn't think he would have cared: he kissed Magnus with all he had, his love, his passion, his tenderness, his pride, and what should have remained a soft peck on the lips turned into an intense display of affection that had Lydia coughing lightly.

"I love you," Magnus whispered in his ear as they parted, "My King."

"I love you too," Alec answered, before he kissed his lover - his fiancé! - again and heard a small groan of (only slightly) amused frustration coming from somewhere behind them - from Lydia or Raj, he couldn't tell this time.

So, Alec decided to forget just for a little while about showing Magnus how much he loved him; he squeezed the warlock's hand as they walked together through the room and stepped onto the balcony under a radiant sun. Alec and Magnus shared a bright smile as a roar reached them, people cheering and applauding their King and his Consort, conveying their joy and their acceptance of a royal couple unlike any other.

Standing in front of his people as their King, holding Magnus' hand in his own and raising the other to wave at the crowd, Alec felt the weight of old burdens and fears finally slip off his shoulders.

The future had never looked so bright.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading until the very end! One last time, feel free to send feedback and share your thoughts, it would be much appreciated! :)
> 
> For those of you who might be interested, the prologue to my new story is up already, you may find it [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13155522/chapters/30087894). I leave you with the summary... Until next time!
> 
>  _Magnus was seven years old when he arrived in Colorado to start his new life - with new parents, a new language, a new everything. Making friends would have helped him, except that his first encounter with the neighbours' kids didn't go too well, and Magnus vowed to hate the Lightwoods forever_.
> 
>  _Forever. No matter what_.


End file.
